Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello, 2007 but altered by me!!

Sometimes my inspirations for a recipe come from many sources --this one was because we were leaving for Las Vegas for the week and I still had fresh vegetables in the fridge that would have spoiled and wouldn't freeze well --so I quickly searched for a recipe for the 2# package of cut up squash that I had bought earlier in the week at Costco --this recipe was easy and fabulous!!

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diced onion
• 1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced celery
• 1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced carrot
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• About 4 cups chicken broth (I used vegetable because that was all I had)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 cups Butternut Squash (about 2#)
• 1/2 cup half-and-half

•  FOR GARNISH
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese ( I used sour cream because that is what I had on hand)
• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seed  
•  
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place squash cut into 1-inch dice on cookie sheet so that squash is in a single layer. Toss with EVOO and Salt and Pepper. Place in the oven and roast,about 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

 

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and cinnamon stick and saute until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.


Add the chicken stock (or vegetable stock) and the coriander and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes.



Stir in the squash until smooth, then simmer gently to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.


Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Add the half-and-half. OOPS I already did!!  Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
(The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with stock or water when reheating.)

Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish evenly, with the cheese ( I used sour cream) and pumpkin seeds.