Roasted Butternut Squash & Garlic Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash & Garlic Soup
From a la di stasio (photo doesn't do justice to the burnt orange color or the fantastic aroma & taste)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Squash roasting time: 30-45 minutes + at least 10 minutes to cool
Soup cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (2lb/1kg), cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
4 cloves of garlic, not peeled, but tips cut off (easier to squeeze out the roasted garlic pulp after cooking)
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 large onion or 6 French shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp mild curry powder
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment.

2. Brush the cut side of the squash and the garlic cloves with olive oil. Place the squash cut side down and push the garlic cloves under the squash, in the cavities. Roast in the center of the oven until the flesh is tender (anywhere from 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the squash). You will notice lots of liquid in the pan (along with the fantastic aroma of the roasted garlic). Not to worry, the squash will reabsorb the liquid as it cools. This step can be done much earlier in the day or day before. Scoop out the squash pulp and garlic and set aside.

3 Sauté the onions or shallots in butter over medium heat until they are soft. Don’t let them burn, stirring often for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how finely chopped they were to start. Add the ginger and curry and cook for an additional minute or two – just until you get their fragrance.

4. Add the squash, garlic and broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce and let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

5. Puree the soup. I use an immersion blender, but if you don’t have one, just puree in a blender or food processor.

Josée di Stasio suggests garnishing with yoghurt and lime wedges, which I’ll try next time, but it was awesome all on its own. So good, in fact, there was no time to take pictures. So close your eyes and imagine a thick bowl of orange colored delight and dig in.