It's a Thai! (Curry Soup, that is...)

This soup is fantastic.  I made it a few weeks ago and am just now getting to type it up.  I got the recipe in my favorite grocery store from my favorite grocery store chef who was giving out samples.  It was apparently created by the Central Market Culinary Resource Center.  Hoity Toi!  Those of you who read last week's post know my feelings about cilantro.  But I have to say... *sigh* this recipe needs it.  I tried to leave it out and it just wasn't as good.   Don't get all excited.  I still don't like it.  It just had to be in this soup.  Also, big surprise to regulars is I actually did use the World Foods curry sauce because it's vegetarian and it's hard to find vegetarian Thai curry sauces.

Thai Red Curry Squash Soup

1 Tbs olive oil
1 C chopped onion
1 large apple, peeled and diced (jonagold, braeburn or similar variety)
1 4 lb squash (butternut, kabocha, blue kari, or hubbard) seeded, peeled, and cut in 1-inch chunks
3 C chicken broth
1 C World Foods Thai Red Curry Sauce or your favorite red curry sauce
1/2 C coconut milk
3 T chopped cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a 6-quart stock pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes; add the apple and cook for another 5 minutes.  Add the squash and broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and then cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until the squash is tender and falling apart. 
Use a potato masher if you like some texture, or a hand blender if you want the soup smooth.
Once the desired texture is reached, add the red curry sauce, coconut milk, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.
Add shrimp or croutons if desired.

My substitutions/additions:

• I probably used a fuji apple because that's mostly what we buy...
• I used veggie broth.
• The chef and I both agreed it needed a dairy element.  I said yogurt, he said maybe yogurt or sour cream.  I used yogurt.  I was right...  =)

Review:

Awesome.  Even the boys liked it.  Boy 1 actually keeps asking for it weeks later!  Keepin' it!

*Update:
Ever since I posted this, I have had a really hard time finding the World Foods brand red curry sauce.  I discovered that Trader Joe's brand of red curry sauce is also vegetarian and tried some tonight.  It worked great!  Slightly less spicy, but still super yummy.  I garnished it with crème fraiche tonight, on a lark, and it was very nice indeed!