Harvest Soup

With autumn's chill in the air, it's time to prepare the perfect antidote...
Jamie’s Butternut Squash Soup
(adapted from Martha, of course!)
Serves 6






Olive Oil for drizzling
2 butternut squash
2 medium leeks, white and pale green parts, cut into ½ inch thick slices, well washed**
Grated zest of 1 orange (or lemon, if you don’t have an orange)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground clove
1 ½ quarts low sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat (or homemade stock)
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
Pine nuts for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400o . Peel and cut the squash into ½ inch slices. Drizzle with olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper, then roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft but still holding its shape.

2. Drizzle pine nuts with olive oil, then toast in the oven for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.

3. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the leeks in 2 tablespoons of water until they soften, about 10 minutes. Add the squash, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove; cook for 2 minutes. Add 5 cups of the chicken broth, the salt, and pepper; stir to combine, and cook until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. The squash tenderizes mostly in the roasting, so cooking time is variable here. Cook as long as needed to blend all the flavors and to heat it through.

4. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree, adding milk and cream until you get the desired consistency. Return the soup to the pot; reheat, and add more chicken stock to thin if desired. Serve hot with a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts in each bowl, along with a salad and crusty bread.

** Cleaning Leeks:
Cut leeks first into the size called for in the recipe. Transfer the pieces to a large bowl of cold water, stir and let stand for 5 minutes to let dirt and sand settle to the bottom. Lift leeks out of water with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Enjoy! /jb