Sherry Pocknett’s Butternut-Cranberry Soup
This Butternut-Cranberry Soup from chef Sherry Pocknett is almost too pretty to eat.
By Yankee Magazine|Feb 19 2025|
Sherry Pocknett’s Butternut-Cranberry Soup
Photo Credit: Photos by Clare Barboza/Styling by Gretchen RudeThis recipe for Butternut-Cranberry Soup comes from chef Sherry Pocknett of Sly Fox Den Too in Charlestown, Rhode Island. After decades in restaurant kitchens, Sherry Pocknett came to national attention when she won the 2023 James Beard Award for the Northeast’s best chef. Her food reflects both Wampanoag and European influences emphasizing the former, including this method of long-simmering the squash until you end up with a very concentrated squash-enriched base on which to build additional flavors.
Yield:
8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
2 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium chunks
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 large shallots
1 teaspoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or chopped fresh sage
2/3 cup dried or fresh cranberries, sweetened or unsweetened
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3–4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or water
3 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
Sunflower oil, cream, pepitas, and flaky sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
Put the squash in a large soup pot and cover with water. Set the pot over high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Remove cover and reduce heat to an active simmer. Continue simmering until the squash is very tender and the water is reduced by half, which will take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size and shape of your pot.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the sunflower oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and 1 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme or sage, and sauté briefly.
Roughly mash the cooked squash and add the shallot mixture and cranberries to the pot. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper, then add 3 cups of the stock or water and stir.
Use an immersion or standing blender to puree the mixture until very smooth (if using a standing blender, you’ll need to do this in batches). If the soup is still too thick, add more stock or water until you get the texture you like. Add heavy cream (if using) to taste. Taste and add salt if needed. Serve hot, garnished with a drizzle of sunflower oil and/or cream, some pepitas, and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Notes
Sherry uses all kinds of cranberries in this soup—fresh, dried, sweetened, unsweetened. You can choose any type, or go for a combination.
