Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

A hot bowl of sweet Butternut Squash Soup on a cold rainy day - a perfect combination.  Isn't it?

In winter I try to make soup on most week nights for my kids. They love soup weather it's simple chicken and noodle or chicken pot pie. They do love Butternut Squash as well as Pea soup at the moment but I'm working on adding more vegetable options on the menu. Both my kids loved veggies until they were three and then it started becoming an effort. I'm working on it.

This is a fairly easy and simple recipe to make and if you love soup, you will find this a real treat. I never us to be a big fan of vegetables myself as a kid and especially not butternut squash soup. But I happen to taste it at a restaurant once and since then have been making this ever so often.

You know how I feel about roasting vegetables, throw them in the oven and it brings out their natural sweetness. That's what I do with this soup too.

Serves4

Ingredients

1 medium Butternut Squash
2 tbsp olive oil or Butter
1 small chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped potato or carrots (see note below)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp honey
3 cups chicken stock or Water
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream or nutmeg for garnish

Note: Carrots will bring out the deep orange color in your soup while Potato will give it more cream color- I used potato because my kids prefer potato over carrots.

Method:
Cut the butternut squash in half, remove the seeds  and bake in a preheated oven at 200C/400F for about 30 to 40 minutes or until soft with a little brown.

Once browned - remove from the oven and cover with foil for about 10 minutes. After10 minutes the skin will peel off easily. Roughly chop the squash and set aside.
Note: I baked two squash above but used only one for my soup recipe. 

In a pan over medium heat - heat the oil / butter or both. Saute the garlic, onions,potato.

Add in the chopped squash, salt, pepper, honey and nutmeg. 
Add the stock or water and let simmer on low for about 10 minutes. 
The mixture should have reduced considerable. If not let simmer some more.

After 10 minutes - puree the mixture with a hand blender.  Taste for seasoning.

Add in the cream and stir quickly.  Do not over cook at this time or the cream mixture will curdle.

Once the cream is well mixed. Check for consistency, if necessary add a few tables spoons of water or cream. 

 Your soup is ready. Serve with hot toast and a dollop of sour cream or sprinkle some nutmeg if you prefer.

I do hope you enjoy this recipe.



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