Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, frequently stirring until translucent, about 3 minutes. Do not brown. Add squash scrapings and seeds and cook, occasionally stirring until soft and uniform in color, about 4 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the stock to Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, place squash cut side down in steamer basket and lower into pot. I use my pasta pot with its colander for this. Cover the pot and steam for at least 30 to 40 minutes until tender. Pull the basket out of the pot and remove the squash to cool. When cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scrape the squash from the skin into a medium bowl and discard. Pour reserved stock (steaming liquid) through a strainer into a second clean pot.

3. 3

   Pull squash flesh from skins and put it into the pot with the cooking stock. Add the salt. With an immersion blender, puree squash and reserved liquid until smooth.

4. 4

   Stir in cream, brown sugar, and nutmeg (if using.) Heat over medium heat until hot. Add additional seasoning, if necessary.

5. 5

   Garnish the soup with a dollop of crËme fraÓche or a drizzle of flavored olive oil.