butternut squash soup 2010

One of my favorite squash soups to date. The roasting brings out a real delicious sweetness and toastiness from squash. I had some leftover ruby port, and that added a really nice depth of flavor. Be careful on the white pepper and cayenne, the flavors are so delicate and sweet that it's easy to make this way too spicy.

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
2 tbsp + 2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery and leaves, chopped
1/2 cup ruby port
1/4 cup apple pie liqueur
1 box chicken stock
pinch allspice
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
tiny pinch cayenne
Salt and white pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. On baking sheet, toss butternut cubes with olive oil, salt + white pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, flipping cubes at 20 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large cast iron pot.
4. Sweat onions + celery for about 5 minutes over medium heat (do not brown!). Add, shut off heat, stir in spices.
   
5. Add butternut squash pieces to pot, along with enough chicken stock to cover.
   
6. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer, covered for 15 minutes.
   
7. Blend in batches in blender (don't fill blender more than 1/2 way full, and cover top with towel!).
   
8. Add back to pot. Add enough remaining chicken stock to make it quite liquid, and use some water if you need to (you don't want this thick, you want it to be pretty runny, just a little thicker than chicken soup!). Heat until warm over low heat.
   
9. Season with additional salt and white pepper to taste.
   
10. Stir in 1 tbsp. of butter if you're feeling like it should be more creamy.
    

Variations:

• Add 1 diced, peeled green apple to onions when sweating