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Roasted Squash Soup

Prep Time:  10 minutes

     Cook Time:  1 hour 45 minutes

Sardine co-owner and chef John Gadau is a master of simple, pureed, flavor-packed soups and this recipe is no exception. Roasted, caramelized butternut squash meets savory spices, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar for a bowl of warmth you can’t stop slurping.

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 large butternut squash, cut in half, seeds removed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
  • 4 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 7 cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • Chile oil
  • Prosciutto ribbons
  • Creme fraiche, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease a large roasting pan or casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the squash skin side down and season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Place the butter cubes on top of the squash and cook until the squash is soft and caramelized on top, about 50 minutes.
  3. Let the squash cool and scoop out the flesh. Discard the squash skin.
  4. In a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add bay leaf, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add chicken stock, cream and roasted squash to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat for 30–35 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent burning on the bottom of the pot.
  6. Take the pot off the heat. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Ladle the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer blended soup into a clean pot. Reheat and add cider vinegar and brown sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  7. Ladle hot soup into a bowl. Drizzle with chile oil and top with crispy prosciutto and whipped crème fraîche.

Notes

Suggestions Directions for optional garnishes: Chile oil: Steep 2-3 dried chiles of your choice in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain off liquid and put in a blender with 1 cup of olive oil. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Pass through a strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl. Then transfer into a jar. Store in the refrigerator. Prosciutto ribbons: Cut sliced prosciutto into thin strips. Heat 8 tablespoons of canola oil over low heat. Working in small batches, fry gently until crisp. Transfer prosciutto onto a plate with a paper towel and let cool.