Roasted Butternut Squash and Tomato Soup

A wonderful variant of the traditional butternut squash soup. If you can get Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes, they add a wonderful flavor to this soup.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Yields: 1 1/2 quart

Ingredients

• 2  butternut squash
• 4  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  small onions, diced
• 2  leeks, sliced (white portion only)
• 2  carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1  stalk celery, sliced
• 4  garlic cloves
• 1 (24 ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, diced
• 4  cups  chicken stock
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
•  salt
•  pepper

• garnish

• pernod cream

• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream, whipped with
• 2  teaspoons Pernod, season with
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds.
3. Place squash on a sheetpan, cut side down.
4. Bake until soft (Pushing on it with a finger should leave an impression in the flesh).
5. Remove flesh from the skin.
6. Heat olive oil in a large pan over low heat.
7. Still over low heat, cook onion, leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic until soft.
8. Add squash and tomatoes, cook gently for 10 minutes.
9. Add stock.
10. Salt and pepper to taste.
11. Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
12. Puree in batches until smooth.
13. Return to a clean pan and add cream.
14. Heat just to a boil.