Roasted Squash, Garlic and Sage Soup repost of a delicious soup

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Roasted Squash, Garlic and Sage Soup

 

5 lbs. of butternut squash (2 medium) or a sugar pumpkin

2 med. onions peeled and quartered

1/2 head of garlic, separated into cloves (do not

peel)

2 Tblspns. olive oil

2 tsps. cumin

2 tsps. salt

1/2 tsps. black pepper

6 stems of fresh sage or 1 tsp. dried

48 ounces of vegetable broth

2 tsp. red wine vinegar or lemon juice

 

Garnish with spicy maple pepitas (recipe to follow)

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place oven rack in

middle of oven. Cut squash

in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Then cut in half

widthwise. Place squash

(skin side up), onions and garlic in a single layer in

a roasting pan or on a

large baking sheet.

Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and use you hands to

coat veggies well.

Sprinkle cumin over the inside of the squash flesh.

Sprinkle salt, pepper and

dried sage over veggies and make sure to get the

seasonings inside the squash

flesh side. If using fresh sage lay it around the

veggies. Roast 30 minutes

and take a spatula to turn veggies over and roast

another 30 mins.

until squash is tender when pierced with a fork.

When roasting is done, transfer onions to blender or

food processor and squeeze

garlic out of the cloves and into the blender and

discard the skins.

Scoop squash out of the skin and add to blender along

with any roasting juice

from the pan (the juice really adds flavor so a little

water and rubbing with a

fork will get more of the juice and flavors from the

pan). Blend all this

until smooth. Transfer to a soup pot and add the

vegetable broth. Bring soup

to a boil and turn to simmer and stir in the vinegar

or lemon juice, salt &

pepper to taste.

 

 

Spicy Maple Pepitas to garnish

 

These are Mexican pumpkin seeds and this recipe is

delicious not only as a soup

garnish but a snack. I find pepitas at Whole Foods,

Trader Joes and also any

Latin store should have them.

 

2 cups pepitas

2 Tblspns. maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp, cayenne pepper

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss all ingredients in a

bowl until well mixed.

Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet (I used the

non-stick Reynolds foil.

I never have parchment paper and it's not like you

even remember to buy it and

when I try to find it I have no idea whwere the store

has it hidden). Pat seeds

into a single layer. Toast until seeds are a golden

brown and aromatic about

10-15 mins. Let cool. Store in an airtight container

for up to a week.

(Believe me they won't last that long...LOL )

 

" The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected. "

Old Swedish proverb.