Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I thought I would post a couple of the recipes from the new book; Comfort Food Cooking from the Heart. This recipe is a very special one for me. I developed this recipe for my mother who happens to be a Butternut Squash fan. I hope you enjoy the recipe.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup



Yield 6-7 servings

Ingredients
4 pounds organic butternut squash (2 medium size squash)
2 stalks organic celery
2 medium sized organic carrots
1 pint organic half & half
4 cups organic chicken stock
2 cups water
1 organic granny smith apple
1 tablespoon organic butter
1/4 teaspoon organic cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon organic nutmeg
1/4 cup organic raisins
1/4 cup organic pecans

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400℉.

Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place them on a cookie sheet and roast in a 400℉ oven for 1 hour.
While the squash is roasting peel and seed the apple, peel the carrot and cut into 1 inch chunks along with the celery.

Heat an 8 quart stock pot to medium heat and add the butter and let it melt.

Take the carrots, celery, and apple and saute for 2 minutes then add the cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, and pecans and saute for 1 minute.

Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 20-30 minutes so carrots and celery are very tender. If this step is complete before squash is finished roasting and cooling just leave on low heat to keep it warm it won't harm the soup.

When squash is done roasting and is tender remove from oven and let cool.

Once squash is cool enough to handle peel the skin off the squash with a paring knife cut into 1 inch chunks and put into the pot. Bring soup up to medium heat and let cook for 15 minutes at a low roiling boil, stir occasionally.

Now puree the soup. You can use any method you like, a blender, food processor, or my favorite a hand blender. In any case be careful the soup is hot and could burn you.

Once the soup is nice and smooth bring back up to heat and add the half & half let soup simmer for 10 minutes then serve.