Thanksgiving is over, the kids are back at school (for now), and we are back to our cozy domesticity. One of my favorite soups this time of year is a velvety autumnal wonder that makes a scrumptious supper for two. The butternut squash is roasted until tender and caramelized. Sage is a superb sidekick to squash, and fresh ginger adds a tinge of zing. This soup is silky, savory, and satisfying. Paired with chewy bread, gooey cheese and a bottle of Chardonnay…can you say yummy?
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger & Sage
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, placing them in a strainer.
Place the squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Add about 1/2 inch of water to the pan. Roast in the oven for about an hour.
Separate the seeds from the squash pulp and rinse them in the strainer.
Place the seeds on a small baking sheet. Put in the oven and bake to dry them out, about 10 minutes, tossing once midway. Remove from oven and let cool.
In a dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, sauté chopped onion and ginger in melted butter until translucent and golden.
Using a garlic press, add one garlic clove to the pot. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and nestle a couple of sprigs of fresh sage in with the onion. Cook for a minute.
Remove pan with squash from the oven and let cool slightly. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh out from the squash halves and add to the pot. Cook, stirring for about a minute.
Add chicken stock, preferably homemade, but you can substitute low sodium store bought stock. Stir and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
In a medium skillet, melt a tablespoon of butter. Add the squash seeds to the pan and sauté until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and season with sea salt.
In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of butter and cook until slightly brown. Add sage leaves to the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with a small pinch of sea salt.
Using tongs, remove the sage sprigs from the soup pot.
At this point, you may be happy with the texture of the soup, but I prefer a more even consistency. Use a hand blender to puree the squash and vegetables until smooth. If you don’t have one, you can use a blender or food processor to puree the soup in batches.
Depending on the sweetness of your squash, you may want to add a tablespoon or two of brown sugar to the soup to balance the flavor. Grate a large pinch of nutmeg into the pot.
Stir 1/4 cup of heavy cream into the soup. Taste the soup for seasoning, adding kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fried sage leaves, sprinkle with squash seeds, and drizzle with the browned butter from the pan. Warm the bread, plate the cheese, pop the cork and dive in. Oh, and you’ll have plenty leftover for lunch tomorrow…
Serves 4 to 6:
2 medium butternut squash
1 medium Spanish onion
1 inch knob of ginger, peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sprigs sage leaves
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, if needed
freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup heavy cream
garnish:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
squash seeds
sea salt
sage leaves
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Oh how I love squash soup! I never thought to add sage to it, which is odd because its my all-time favorite herb. What a flavor combo…yum yum. And you can never go wrong with fresh grated nutmeg. Divine.
Yum! This looks amazing! I love the idea of garnishing it with the squash seeds. Great cold weather recipe!