Winter Squash Soup

Source: Modifications from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash
1 butternut squash
1 leek, chopped
4 cups chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp fresh sage
salt
pepper
olive oil
some whipping cream

To prepare squash, peel skin, remove seeds and chop into cubes. Easier said than done! I struggled with the endeavor for 5 minutes, realized it was futile. Instead (as suggested by Deb), I halved the squash, deseeded them and then laid them on a baking sheet to bake for 20-30 minutes at 425F. They were cooked perfectly, and I could scoop the pulp out from the skin.

In a pan, heat 2tbsp oil and add leeks and chopped garlic. Saute for 10 minutes until leeks are cooked. Add the cooked squash, chicken broth, cumin, ginger, and herbs. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes. When cooled, puree in a blender.

Return the soup to the stove, add a little whipping cream and pepper. The original recipe asked for sugar, but I thought the soup was perfectly sweet and so skipped it.

The soup was filling and perfect for the autumn chill that has descended on Chicago!