Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Soup

It's November, and fall always makes me think of warm, hearty, delicious comfort food. For me, there's nothing more comforting than a bowl of thick, creamy squash soup. I actually made this soup several weeks ago before the birth of my son. We enjoyed half the batch immediately, and froze a liter of it for a quick dinner after he was born. I am pleased to say that not only is this recipe fantastic right out of the pot, but it freezes beautifully. Simply freeze before adding cream, and when you want to enjoy it again, let it thaw, heat gently in a saucepan over medium heat, garnish and dig in!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Soup
(Adapted from The Gracious Bowl)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 medium butternut squash, quartered and seeded
3 pears, peeled and chopped
1 tsp madras curry powder
1 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
2-3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
Cream, salt & pepper for garnish

Quarter and seed the squash, rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees until soft, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool and scoop out the flesh. Set aside.

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and pear until very soft, 6-8 minutes. Add the curry, cinnamon, and ginger and let them toast for a minute, then add the squash. Add the chicken broth, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes

Puree the soup in a blender in small batches, or with an immersion blender. If the soup seems too thick to puree well, add a little more broth to loosen it up. This is a pretty thick soup, so if you like it thinner, just add broth until it's the consistency you like.

Ladle into bowls, stir in cream (a tablespoon or two per bowl is good), garnish with salt & pepper, and enjoy!

Serves 4-6.