first soup of the season

a sure sign of fall is a craving for soups. in my companion cookbook from last winter, i found a perfect recipe for the start of the season...

eliza's damn good butternut squash soup
1 butternut squash
3 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. broth
3/4 c. milk
1 med. onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
salt & pepper
rosemary/sage
preheat the oven to 400F.
prep the squash. wash and peel your squash. cut into quarters, and scoop out seeds [save them for baking!]. pour water into a large baking dish, and place quartered squash in dish. cook for 1 hour, or until browned and very tender.
blend the squash. once baked, remove squash from pan, and mush it into a blender. slowly add 1 c. broth and 1/2 c. milk. work in batches to get all ingredients well blended.
prep the seasonings. heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. add garlic, then onions, and saute on medium heat for about 3 minutes.
combine it all. add the squash puree to the saucepan, along with the remaining broth and milk. garlic and onions add "savory chunks" to the soup--but you can put it all in the blender again. season with salt, pepper, and herbs to your taste.
serve hot with sour cream & freshly baked bread!


:: image from myflickr