Roasted Butternut Squash Soup With Toasted Seeds Recipes

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Slice squash vertically down the center, scoop out the seeds, and place the halves cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Rub 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the outside skin of the squash, and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes (or until almost tender).
• Allow squash to cool, peel the skin off, and cut squash into 2-inch cubes. Set aside.
• Next, in a large pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute onions until slightly brown, about 3-4 minutes, adding a pinch of salt as they cook. Stir in garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add 2 cups of the stock, brown sugar (or maple syrup), and squash and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes (or until the squash is very tender). Remove from heat.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender or puree in batches in a regular blender or food processor, adding remaining stock slowly until the soup reaches the desired consistency.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with optional toppings.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash on the pan and drizzle each half with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash on the inside (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
• Turn the squash face down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 40 to 50 minutes (don't worry if the skin or flesh browns-that's good for flavor). Set the squash aside until it's cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering (if your blender has a soup preset, use a medium skillet to minimize dishes.) Add the chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Transfer the contents to your stand blender (see notes on how to use an immersion blender instead).
• Use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into your blender. Discard the tough skin. Add the maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper to the blender. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth, being careful not to fill the container past the maximum fill line (you can work in batches if necessary, and stir in any remaining broth later).
• Securely fasten the lid. Blend on high (or select the soup preset, if available), being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid. Stop once your soup is ultra creamy and warmed through.
• If you would like to thin out your soup a bit more, stir in the remaining cup of broth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend well. Taste and stir in more salt and pepper, if necessary.
• If your soup is piping hot from the blending process, you can pour it into serving bowls. If not, pour it back into your soup pot and warm the soup over medium heat, stirring often, until it's nice and steamy. I like to top individual bowls with some extra black pepper.

CHEF JOHN'S ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Drizzle olive oil into large roasting pan. Add onion, carrots, garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt. Toss until coated in oil. Place squash halves flesh side up on the chopped vegetables. Sprinkle squash with additional salt.
• Roast in preheated oven until squash is tender and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour. Allow vegetables to cool a bit.
• Melt butter over medium heat. Butter will foam, and start to turn a golden brown. Reduce heat to low. When butter turns from golden to a light, nutty brown, remove pan from heat and immediately add sage leaves. Stir to infuse the butter with sage.
• Scoop out squash flesh and place in roasting pan with roasted chopped vegetables. Transfer mixture into large stock pot. Stir in chicken broth, brown sage butter, and maple syrup. Place pot over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; slowly simmer to blend flavors, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Blend until very smooth with an immersion blender, 3 or 4 minutes. Pass mixture through a strainer to remove any remaining fibrous bits.
• If soup seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth. Stir in apple cider vinegar, a pinch of salt (or to taste), and cayenne pepper. Garnish servings of soup with a dollop of creme fraiche and chopped chives.