Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Oh, the tastes of fall…I love them…especially when the warm spices of the season infuse this delicious soup. The key to its rich taste is roasting the vegetables to caramelize the juices and accentuate the flavour.

Serves 4

1 large butternut squash, peeled and deseeded

1 large onion, large dice

1 apple, cored and chopped into large pieces (skin left on)

12 fresh sage leaves or 1-2 tsp dried sage leaves (not ground – if you need to use ground, use about ½ tsp)

¼ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

2 whole cloves garlic, peeled

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tomato, quartered

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

5-6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

½ cup 35% cream, optional

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Do not use a high-sided pan as it will steam rather than roast the vegetables.

Cut the butternut squash into large (1” - 1 ½”) pieces. Toss them into a large bowl along with the diced onion, apple pieces, whole sage leaves, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, whole garlic cloves, vinegar, and the tomato. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss well. Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet. Bake, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, stirring half way through.

Heat a large stock pot with 5-6 cups chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and add the warm roasted vegetables. Simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.

Puree in a blender until very smooth. Transfer to a clean pot. Taste and adjust seasonings. Soup can be frozen at this point, or chilled for serving later. Reheat to a light simmer and add ½ cup cream, if desired.