Colorado Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Colorado Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
The Players....
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, preferably gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground toasted coriander, optional
1 1/2 cups Roasted Butternut Squash
1-2 cups cubed cooked chicken, breast and thigh meat, optional
1/2 cup half-and-half or heavy cream if you like, optional
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, optional
2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds, optional
Pierce the skin of a whole butternut squash and place on foil-lined cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for 1-1/2 hours at 325 degrees, turning once at 45 minutes. Take out, and cool until easily handled and scrape out seeds. Peel squash skin off and cut up squash and place in bowl.
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 and the coriander, if using, 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 (or with immersion blender) until smooth. (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.)
Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Add 1-2 cups cooked chopped chicken breast and thigh meat, if desired. Add the half-and-half, if using. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm until service.
The Finalé
Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish evenly, with the cheese and pumpkin seeds, if desired.
This is a hearty soup, even without the chicken. Serve with a tossed green salad and crusty French bread and a nice white wine.
You need to be a humble Goddess to accept the thanks and praise this dish delivers to you. Say, "Thank You", and "I only did it because I love you," and "I made this just for you!"