Thyme and Smoked Bacon Infused Winter Squash Soup

Recipe by member, Jon Proville, chezjjp.com

In this recipe, we will infuse the cream with bacon and thyme flavors by gently heating them together. This will impart a subtle, smoky dimension to the soup which will help bring out the sweet fulfilling flavor of the squash.

(serves 2-4)
1 medium (or 2 Small) squashes of any kind
1 branch thyme
1 small chunk of whole or sliced smoked bacon (1/4 pound slab)
2 cups cream

Place cream in a small saucepan and add bacon and thyme branches. Set the heat on lowest setting. Meanwhile, rub the squash with oil and let bake in a 300 degree oven for an hour or until soft. Scoop out seeds with a spoon and discard. Scoop out the flesh and place in a medium sized pot. Remove bacon and thyme from the cream and add cream to the squash. Mix around and liquify until smooth using hand mixer/food processor/blender. Salt and Pepper to taste. At this stage feel free to get creative with how you serve the soup. Shot glasses, martini glasses or tiny cast iron pots with lids are all game.

Keep in mind that you can modify the recipe by using other herbs, different creams and different squashes or pumpkins.