Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup (Simple Version)
Ingredients:
1 Butternut Squash
1 16oz. jar Roasted Red Peppers
4 oz unsalted butter
2 large leeks (or three small)
4 Cups Chicken Stock
2 tbsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Sea Salt (Preferably Hawaiian Sea Salt)
Pinch of Ginger
Optional:
Dash of Tapatio (added with spices)
1/4 Cup Sour Cream (added before blending)
1/2 Cup Bacon (added in with the leeks)
Supplies:
1 Blender, Food Processor, or Hand Mixer
1 Large Pot
1 Stirring Spoon (I prefer wooden)
1 Cutting Board
1 Knife
Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 400, then take the Butternut Squash and cut it in half, deseeding it, putting it cut side down on a slightly greased pan. Put it in the oven for an hour and forget about the Squash. You can take a bit of a break now, but you want to be taking the squash out about when you begin step 3, though if your timing is off, no worries, the recipe is flexible.
2) Cut the leeks down adding them to a pot with the butter (and bacon if desired) and cooking them on a low heat. Don't brown the leeks, just cook them nice and easy, occasionally stirring for 10-15 minutes.
3) Once the leeks look softened and cooked it is time for the red peppers. Go ahead and cut them down some- rough cuts are ok, then add them to the pot stirring them in with the leaks.
4) The add the chicken stock, turning up the heat some so that the chicken stock can simmer.
5) With any luck your squash is out of the oven and has cooked down a little bit. Now we want to scoop out the inside of the squash and mix it into the pot. Stir it pretty fiercely, breaking up the squash a little bit.
6) Go ahead and drop in all of the spices, stir the pot and let everything simmer on low heat together for 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Longer is better.
7) Once the soup has had time to relax in the pot for a bit we can blend everything together. A small hand blender is probably best. I use a 14 cup food processor. You could also blend small amounts at a time in a blender. Keep blending the soup until it reaches your desired consistently- I like mine smooth, but with some texture still there.
8) Once everything is blended how you like it add it back into your original pot and put it back on some low heat. Now is a good time to go ahead and taste the soup. Decide if it needs a bit more salt, some more spice, maybe a pinch more cinnamon.
My measurements at the beginning are just a starting point- the rest is up to you. Things can always be adjusted and tweeked. I don't usually measure my spices, I just taste and decide what else is might need! I encourage you to do the same.
9) Once the soup simmers together for a little bit longer, it is ready to eat! Top it with some parmesan cheese, some croutons, or eat it as is! Best eaten with friends.
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