Butternut Squash Soup

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It's been a busy month. Between the moving and the traveling, I haven't had a ton of time to cook. Instead, I had a lot of chicken wings and pizza. After a while, it can get pretty tiring. So I decided to make some soup using butternut squash, which is commonly available in the fall. I wanted to showcase the natural sweetness of the butternut squash and enhance its delicate flavors. So I chose to use milder herbs and spices like thyme and turmeric that will complement the flavors of the butternut squash without overpowering it.

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs of thyme
  
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 1 small 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons of turmeric
• 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
  
• salt to taste

In a large lidded pot, sweat onion, carrot and celery with a dash of salt in butter and olive oil until the vegetables are soft, for 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add butternut squash, potato, turmeric, brown sugar and vegetable stock. Cover and cook on medium low heat until butternut squash pieces are soft, about 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

While the soup is hot, blend vegetables together using a standard blender or an immersion blender until the mixture is smooth. Serve as is, or with sour cream or chopped parsley on top.

The soup has a velvety texture and sweet, mild flavors. You will get a hint of ginger, but mostly, it will taste like the butternut squash. Warm, hearty and vibrant -- it's the perfect soup for fall.