Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients for Butternut Squash Soup:

  • 5 cups of butternut squash (about 2#), cut into 1 inch cubes

  • 2 cups of Kabocha squash, cut into 1 inch cubes

  • 3 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

  • 1 turnip, cut into 1 inch cubes

  • 2-3 medium leeks, cut into 1 inch pieces

  • 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 clove of garlic, minced

  • 3 stalks of celery, cut into 1 inch pieces

  • 4 cups of vegetable stock (refer "Mushroom Risotto" post on July 23,2013 for stock recipe http://foodandgladness.com/food/2013/7/23/mushroom-risotto)

  • 1/2 cup of half and half

  • 2 tablespoons each of butter and extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (buy the tube, easier to reuse)

  • 1 tablespoon salt & pepper

  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Directions:

  • In a large Dutch oven or medium stock pot, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, pinch of salt, and tomato paste; cook until onions begin to caramelize. Add all other veggies and saute 3-5 minutes. Add vegetable stock, salt/pepper, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer for 20-30 minutes until squash is fork tender.

  • Allow soup to slightly cool. Ladle soup into blender, fill blender about 1/2 to 3/4 full. Remove center of blender lid to allow steam to escape; cover the top of blender with a towel then blend until smooth. Transfer into a soup tureen or large serving bowl. Once all the soup is blended, stir in half and half. If you do not serve immediately, allow the soup to cool completely before placing in storage containers. Refrigerate up to one week, freeze for 3 months.

  • Makes about 8- one cup servings.

recipe courtesy of foodandgladness.com