Butternut Squash Soup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).

Cut butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Rub insides with olive oil and season liberally with kosher salt and pepper. Roast on a pan in the preheated oven for a good hour or so until it appears thoroughly cooked. Then remove from the oven and let it cool on the stovetop until it’s pretty much back to room temperature. I always roast mine early in the day and then make the soup right before dinnertime.

When ready to make the soup, place a soup pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop and set up your blender or food processor right next to it on the counter. An immersion blender would make this process even easier!

Cut the squash up into cubes, peeling off the outer rind or scooping out the edible parts; however you like to do it. Place chunks in the processor and add just enough stock to be able to blend it into a puree. Transfer this mixture to the soup pot and continue until all squash has been used. Don’t over fill the processor, work in smallish batches. When you get to the last batch, add the apple as well and blend it up.

Turn the stovetop on medium and begin heating the puree. You can add as much stock as you like at this point to achieve the desired consistency, but I like to leave mine super thick, almost a puree rather than a soup. Add nutmeg and honey, as well as additional salt and pepper to taste. Leave on the heat until heated through. Just before you serve, add the heavy cream. It tastes heavenly and suprisingly, not too sweet.

I have served this as a main course with crusty bread as well as in lieu of a vegetable side. I usually roast two of these at a time in fact; I will use half of the resultant puree in the manner described above and save the other half in the freezer (before adding the spices and honey/cream). That way I have the hard part done and can assemble it a second time in just a few minutes.