Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasting vegetables in the winter is a way to deepen the flavor and add a heartiness to every meal. My favorite winter soup is roasted butternut squash. As we are winding down this cold season, the squash are on their way out, however, the flavor of this squash was delightful and sweeter than I expected. It's so simple, all you need on hand is home-made vegetable broth. If you want to really add richness, take the time to make the vegetable stock first, using a few cubes of the butternut squash. Cooking is all about layering flavor each step and this is a way to accomplish that complexity of flavors. You will notice a much richer, full bodied soup. The end result is velvety, hearty with virtually no fat. Top it with roasted pepita seeds for a nice, crunchy texture.

For directions on making stock, see my post on homemade stocks - in this case, just add about a cup of 1 inch-cubed, and peeled butternut squash to the pot.

Heat oven to 400.
1 large, or 2 medium size butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper
4 cups home-made vegetable stock
Roasted pepita seeds

In a large mixing bowl, drizzle olive oil over squash and toss to coat.
Lay squash out on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.
Roast in oven for about 30 minutes.
Make sure to rotate sqash every 10 minutes to get an even carmelization.
Transfer roasted squash to blender (you may have to do this in batches) and add enough stock to half-way cover squash. Blend - add liquid if needed. You want a velvety texture, keep adding stock until desired consistancy.
Top with roasted pepita seeds.

Yvette Roman© Photography 2008