Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Today is soup weather here in Colorado, but this soup is so good I was impatient and made it earlier in the week. This soup is one of our Fall/Winter staples (and we have LONG Fall/Winters up here, so we end up eating this soup a lot). We love this soup with a good hearty bread and a spinach salad. At first I debated the sour cream (greek yogurt can be used as well) swirls, but the sour cream adds a nice touch. I usually roast my squash in the morning and then make the soup in the afternoon during Baby's nap time. This gives it a good amount of time for the flavors to simmer before dinner.
Below is my first photo on this blog, but I have to admit, it is not mine. One of these days we will get a camera worthy of taking food pics, but in the mean time thank you MaryandSara Blog for the pic and the recipe.

      Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 2 ½ – pound butternut squash (3 cups, cooked)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons calvados or brandy
• 3 ½ cups homemade chicken stock, vegetable stock, or two 14-ounce cans chicken or vegetable broth, plus more as needed
• ¾ cup evaporated milk
• Fresh grated nutmeg, or pinch of ground nutmeg
• A dash of Cayenne pepper (optional to taste)
• 2 tablespoons sour cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Brush the squash flesh with olive oil, and place face-down on a roasting pan. Check the squash after 34 to 45 minutes, though it could take over an hour. When the squash is very soft and yields to the touch, remove from the oven and let cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the olive oil and butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Be careful that the onion does not color at all. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the Calvados and cook until the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat.

Once the squash has cooled, remove the seeds, and scoop out the squash flesh, discarding the skin. Place in a small bowl. You will need 3 cups of butternut squash for this recipe. Reserve an extra for later use.

Combine half of the cooked squash, half of the onion, half of the chicken stock, and half of the evaporated milk in a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour back into a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Repeat, blending the second half of the squash, onion, chicken broth, and evaporated milk. Once blended, pour into the pot with the first batch.  Season with kosher salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. (Adjust consistency, if necessary, with more chicken stock or water.)

Place the sour cream in a small bowl and stir using a spoon, until silky smooth. Thin slightly by stirring in 2 teaspoons of warm water. Divide the soup among the number of bowls to be served. With a small spoon, drop 5 small, pea-size dots, in a circle, on top of the soup. Take a sharp knife, and run the knife straight through the dot, creating a heart shape. Serve immediately.

www.maryandsara.com/blog/our-books/the-bride-groom-first-and-forever-cookbook/