It's that time of year

I'm in the soup mood lately and have made two really good ones in the last couple of weeks.  The first was a Sweet Potato Mulligatawny soup from the Flavour Principle by Lucy Waverman, my new favourite cookbook distraction.  I amended it slightly to leave out the coconut milk, didn't have any cilantro or lemon juice and it was still absolutely brilliant.  I sprinkled some pumpkin seeds on top and enjoyed.

Yesterday I made my favourite butternut squash soup.  While butternut squash is one of my favourite veggies, I really dislike wrestling with the peel so, when making soup, I generally cut it in half, drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast it for 45 minutes to an hour.  The peel comes off easily and the caramelization of bits on the surface of the squash only add to the flavour.   Here is what I do for my squash soup:

1 large butternut squash
olive oil, salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 apple, roughly chopped
4 cups chicken or veggie stock or water
1 tsp (or more) curry powder
pepper

Preheat oven to 400F.  Cut squash in half and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt.  Roast squash for 45 minutes to an hour.  It might not be quite cooked through but it will finish in the stock.  Remove squash from oven, let cool until it can be handled without pain; peel and roughly chop.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in soup pot, add onion and cook gently until soft.  Add apple and squash to the pan, stir around a bit in the oil and onion to mix.  Add stock.  Bring stock to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Add curry powder and pepper to taste and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.  Puree using favourite method (immersion blender is mine) and enjoy.

And drizzle this a few pumpkin seeds too.