Butternut Squash Soup

I'll just say right up front -- my boys won't eat this.  But it's raining -- sweet rain -- and they want chicken tenders or a hamburger and my over-thirty metabolism would take three months to digest that ground beef patty (not to mention we just had hamburgers last night) and I want something vegetal and fallish?  That's when I'll whip up this simple, fall soup with a crusty baguette and cheese slices, and an arugula salad with chopped pears or apples, pecans, parmigiano reggiano and vinaigrette.  My knight feels like this is not a MAN'S meal--soup and salad--so instead of the baguette, I may do a large man's sandwich aka grilled cheese or I may just remind him about his over-thirty metabolism.

You'll need one of these...

a butternut squash.  Crank the oven on to 400 degrees.  Take out your chef's knife and ...

cut it in half and breathe in that sweet squash aroma.

Scoop out the seeds.  I like to get my hands dirty...but I think you're well within your rights to scoop with a spoon.

Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet.  Enough to thinly coat.

Lay the squash halves on the baking sheet--halved side down--and slide them into a 400 degree oven.  Now it's time to start the soup base.

Grab an onion, carrot and small russet potato.  Give them a rough chop.

Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a sauce pot or stock pot turn the burner to medium heat.

Add your rough chop and season with salt and pepper.  Turn your burner to medium low, cover and let the veg soften but not brown.  10 -15 minutes.

Soft and easy to poke through with my skewer.  Turn off the heat.

Add a tablespoon of curry - the secret ingredient.  Time to check in with the squash.

My handy dandy skewer pricks the now-soft squash easily.  Flip your halves over...

Beautiful!  But HOT...so to cool a little faster I use...

an ice bath.  It's a quick way to cool if you don't have one of those frozen paddles.  So ice and water in one bowl and the squash goes

in a dry bowl, sized a bit smaller, floating on top of our ice bath.  

When the squash is cool, scrape it from the skin with a large spoon.

Add the squash and three cups of chicken or vegetable stock to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

I moved it all over to a stock pot--it was one big squash.  I let it simmer about 10 minutes, breaking up the squash towards minute 9 with a wooden spoon.  Then over to the...

blender and push puree.  Then back to the...

pot for seasoning and thinning.  Taste the soup.  Is it too thick?  Thin with milk or stock.  Need more salt or pepper?  Add a few more dashes.  

Light a candle, dish it up and enjoy this creamy autumn soup!  

 RECIPE: BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CURRY
*Gluten Free Option / Vegetarian Option

• 1 butternut squash
• 3 c. no-msg chicken broth 
• 1 carrot, peeled
• 1 white or yellow onion
• 1 small russet potato, peeled
• 1 T. curry powder
• 2 -3 T. olive oil plus drizzle for baking sheet

 METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Thinly coat a baking sheet with olive oil.  Cut squash in half and lay halved-side down on the baking sheet.  Roast until soft.  40 min. to an hour.
3. While the squash roasts, heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat.  Roughly chop the carrot, potato and onion (smaller dice, more flavor from the veg).  Add the vegetables to the oil and toss the veg in the pot to coat it with the oil.   Cover and let soften over medium - low heat. 10 - 15 minutes. 
4. When the veg has softened, add the curry and set aside.  
5. Remove squash from the oven when ready and let cool.  Scoop squash pulp off of skin and add to the soup base.  Add chicken broth and bring to a low simmer over medium heat.  Let simmer for 10 minutes, breaking up the squash with a wooden spoon.
6. Pour soup into a blender and puree, blending in batches if need be.  Return the puree to the stock pot.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and thin with milk or broth.  Serve warm.