- 2 butternut squash, ~ 2 pounds each?, cut in half from stem to blossom end, seeds removed
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced finely
- 3-5 stalks celery (depending on size -- ideally, 5 of the paler, more tender inner stalks), diced finely
- 1/4 teaspoon ground, dried thyme, or 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, minced (optional)
- pinch of kosher salt
- a few grinds of black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 quart good chicken stock
- 1-2 cups heavy cream
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
to garnish:
- 1 cup slivered almonds, squash seeds or pumpkin seeds toasted with a dab of oil (olive oil or ghee are ideal), salt, pepper and paprika until golden brown, set aside to cool
- (optional) a little bowl of fresh thyme leaves and/or finely slivered fresh sage leaves
preheat oven to 350. line baking sheets with parchment paper, lightly butter the paper and place squash on it, cut side down. roast in oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until done. remove from oven to cooling racks, flip cut side up and let cool while you prepare the onions.
while the squash is cooling, melt the butter over medium-high heat and saute the onion with a pinch of salt. add the celery after about 5 minutes. reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until onion is translucent and slightly golden brown on the edges. add chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
with a good-sized spoon, scoop the butternut squash flesh out and place in a bowl, discarding the skins. add the squash flesh to the simmering soup mixture on the stove and allow to cook together for 5-10 minutes, to marry the flavors. turn off the burner, remove the bay leaves and discard; they've done their job. either use an immersion (stick) blender, or remove soup in batches to a blender or food processor to puree until it's velvety smooth (it's much easier with the immersion blender; you will have to be very careful with a regular blender or food processor when pureeing hot soup, as it tends to expand the air in the blender and blow the lid off, making a big, potentially painful mess. you can get decent immersion blenders for $30 - $40 now; I recommend them highly if you can fit it in your budget). if you've used a regular blender or food processor, return all the pureed soup to the pot (if you've used the recommended immersion blender, it's already in there). add a cup of the cream and bring the soup to a simmer, stirring regularly. taste and assess. add more chicken stock or some water if it's too thick; add more cream if it needs more richness. adjust all seasonings; salt and pepper to taste. at this point, it should taste like much more than the sum of its parts; it should taste like a combination of the essence of Fall and Thanksgiving. serve with suggested garnishes and enjoy.
