Roasted Butternut Squash Soup...I am finally getting to use it!!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup…Till now I have never cooked with Butternut Squash (not available back home)...have always wanted to, since I love the way it looks and have liked it whenever I have had it on our vacations and now I am making full use of it - so much so that hubz is ready to bolt at the mere mention of Butternut Squash!!!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• Whole Butternut Squash, around 1 kg in weight (or pumpkin or even baby carrots – these were my substitutes back home and they worked well in this recipe)
• Olive oil, 1 tbsp
• Honey, 2 tbsp *refer to notes below
• Onion, chopped, 1 medium size
• Garlic cloves, finely chopped, 2
• Fresh Sage or Rosemary or Thyme, any one of the herbs you like (remember just one of them), 4-5 sage leaves roughly chopped OR a sprig or 2 of rosemary/thyme, leaves finely chopped
• Chicken Stock or Vegetable stock, around 4 cups/1 litre (and more, if needed)
• Lemon juice or Orange Juice, about 1 tbsp (optional)
• Freshly grated Nutmeg, ¼ tsp (optional)
• Butter or Olive oil, 1 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• White Pepper, to taste (or black pepper)
• To garnish, heavy cream or half- n-half or toasted walnuts or toasted pine nuts or roasted pumpkin seeds or Crème Fraiche or Sour Cream

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 220C.

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Leave the skin on and cut the squash into about 3 inch wide wedges.

Lightly whisk the honey with a tablespoon of oil and some salt.

Place the squash, cut-side up on a baking tray. Brush the honey mix on the squash wedges. Roast the squash until tender, and a knife can easily be inserted, about 40 minutes or so.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it cool off until ready to handle.

Using a large spoon, scoop off the butternut squash flesh and keep aside. Discard the squash skin.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Over medium high heat, stir in the onions and sage.

Once the onions start to soften, add in the garlic. Sauté for about a minute.

Add in the squash, nutmeg and pepper and the stock.

Increase the heat to high and once the stock comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and leave to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cool slightly and then blend the soup either using an immersion blender or a food processor. Taste and adjust for seasoning. (Remember salt was added only when roasting the squash or if the stock you used had salt in it)

Look at the consistency – if the soup is thicker than you want, transfer back to the pan and add more stock or water. (This soup is supposed to be thicker than a regular soup but as always do as you please J)

Heat the soup again till piping hot. Switch off the heat and mix in lemon juice.

Garnish with what you like or have…Enjoy!!

Notes/More Options:

• Don't like honey? Skip it or use brown sugar towards the end.

• Instead of roasting with honey, you can add a tablespoon or two of honey right before blending the soup.

• Skip the garlic and use ginger instead. Add 1 tsp finely minced ginger paste when the soup is simmering.

• If using nutmeg, you can either add as mentioned above or sprinkle on the squash before roasting or add just before serving.