In honor of Halloween, I decided to make an orange colored soup this week. I browsed a bunch of interesting recipes, but in the end chose my old faithful, favorite butternut squash recipe. The squash is roasted before making the soup, so time and patience are two necessary ingredients. The recipe produces a large batch making it an excellent addition to a Thanksgiving dinner or potluck with friends.

The flavor is smooth and rich with a lovely velvety texture. It's delicious alone as a first course, or scrumptious paired with a salad or sandwich — I served tapenade, Parmesan, and pancetta panini on the side — for a main meal. To make it vegetarian, simply use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. See how I made it when you read more

Butternut Squash Soup
Modified from Andronico's Market

2 lbs butternut squash
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup dry Vermouth
4 cups Chicken or Vegetable broth
15 oz can Pumpkin Puree
1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
1 pint heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cut squash in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle the insides with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake until tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from the oven and cool until you can handle.



3. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Saute until soft about 10-12 minutes.



4. Meanwhile, peel and dice the baked squash.
5. Add the vermouth to the pot and deglaze 2 minutes.
6. Add the sage, stock, pumpkin, and diced squash.
7. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes on medium low heat.



8. Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and puree to a smooth consistency. Alternately, use an immersion blender to puree in the bowl. Be careful never to fill a blender or bowl more than 2/3 full of hot liquid to avoid burns.
9. Return puree to pot and stir in cream, salt, and pepper. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Test for seasonings and serve.

   Serves 8-10.

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