I love butternut squash for this, as it's so healthy for you, but makes the most sinfully delicious soup that's creamy, rich and feels like you're totally cheating on your diet.
OK... the butter in this recipe may be the cheat, but you don't have to butter it up if you are trying to be health conscious.
Ingredients:
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 large sweet onion
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 2-4 Tbsp of butter (cubed)
- 900 ml of chicken stock (a carton)
- 1/4 cup cream (any % cream is fine)
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic (from the jar)
- more salt and pepper to taste
Roasting the squash:
Preheat your oven to 425 F.
Then, peel your squash with a vegetable peeler. Then cut into rough cubes (don't worry about them being perfect or even in size, they will cook well regardless)
Chop the onion roughly.
Place the squash and onion in a roasting pan with cracked black pepper, salt, and small cubes of butter scattered throughout. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 mins to an hour, allowing the squash to get all mushy and thirsty, and the onions to get crispy charred tips. Take out of the oven and stir the butter at the bottom of the roasting pan, into the squash and onions. (The squash will absorb it, so don't worry if it looks like there's a lot of butter at the bottom.)
Making soup:
Tip the golden mushy squash and onions into a heavy bottomed, deep pot on the stove.Add chicken stock, cream and garlic. Heat over medium heat for 10 mins.
When the squash looks like it's starting to disintegrate, take a hand blender to it. (I wear an oven mitt while blending, as it sometimes splashes a little.) Blend until you think all of the chunks are gone.
TIP: Taste your masterpiece often. As the flavours come together, they will morph and change. Add more salt and pepper to taste if necessary. (I tend to season my food during the cooking process, and rarely if ever add more salt and pepper when eating at the table.)
Serve with love:
Ever since my mother used to serve her homemade chicken soup with a healthy topping of Parmesan cheese when I was a child, I can't serve a good hearty soup without some extra love. Butternut squash soup is SO delicious with some shaved Parmesan curls on top.
BONUS:
You can totally just serve the roasted veggies as is. They are a huge hit with Montreal Steak Spice instead of just salt and pepper and during the summer, I add other root veggies like potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, etc. and cook them on the BBQ in a foil packet. BUTTER is the key to making them delish, so don't scrimp on the butter. :)
Cooking with Quincy
While I am slaving away, the scoundrel destroyed a dino toy, and I had to pick up the pieces for the next 20 mins! So much for relaxing with my delicious soup!
