Roasted Winter Squash Soup

From the blog For Love of the Table

3 T. unsalted butter

1 1/2 T. honey

2 1/2 to 3 lbs. Winter Squash (I prefer Butternut, but any winter squash--Acorn, Kabocha, Hubbard, etc....or a mix--will be delicious)

1 head of garlic

1/4 cup olive oil or unsalted butter

2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 lb. total weight)

2 T. chopped rosemary

1 1/2 to 2 quarts chicken stock or canned low-salt broth

1 cup heavy cream (optional)

Salt, Pepper and Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375°. Combine the butter and the honey in a small saucepan. Heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is homogenous. Set aside.

If using butternut squash or other easy to peel squash, peel and seed the squash. Cut into large chunks. Place in a bowl and drizzle with the honey/butter mixture. Toss to coat and season with salt & pepper. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet.

If using Acorn, Carnival…or other difficult to peel squash, halve the squash. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Place the squash on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper and brush with the butter and honey mixture—drizzle any extra into the cavities.

Slice the top off of the head of garlic. Place the garlic on a square of aluminum foil and drizzle the cut surface with a bit of olive oil. Wrap the foil up and around the garlic; twist the foil to form a sealed “packet”. Place the sheet pan of squash and the packet of garlic in the oven. Roast until the squash is tender and the garlic is soft—about 40 minutes for the garlic and an hour or so for the squash. (If you have peeled and cut the squash, turn the chunks occasionally to make sure they are caramelizing evenly and aren't burning.).

While the squash roasts, heat the butter or olive oil in a large saucepan/stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and herbs. Sweat until very tender, translucent and beginning to caramelize (this will take a half hour or more). Add 6 cups of stock. If necessary, scoop the flesh of the squash. If the squash was peeled before roasting, deglaze the sheet pan with a bit of water or broth. Squeeze the garlic out of its papery skins and add it to the pot along with the roasted squash flesh and any pan deglazings. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Purée the soup, adding more stock if it is too thick. Pass through a fine meshed strainer for the most velvety texture. If a richer soup is desired, add the heavy cream. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Serve hot. Makes 2 1/2 to 3 quarts soup.

(Recipe adapted from The Tra Vigne Cookbook by Michael Chiarello)

Notes:

Substitute sage for rosemary
Follow Suzanne Goin’s lead in Sunday Suppers at Lucques and add a chopped head of fennel to the onions, along with a tablespoon of fennel seed. Substitute fresh thyme for the rosemary.

http://www.forloveofthetable.com/2015/01/winter-squash-soup-to-welcome-in-new.html

As published on forloveofthetable.com