Butternut Squash Soup with Sizzled Sage

(If you have it--swirl the soup with Apple butter just before serving.)

Ingredients
1/4 c Olive Oil
3 pounds Butter Nut Squash (2-3 small)
6 unpeeled garlic cloves
2 large Spanish onions peeled & quartered
1/4 cup water
3 cups apple juice (or vegetable stock)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt

2 tsp butter
20 fresh sage leaves sliced on the diagonal

Preheat over to 400
Line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil--and oil the foil.
Cut squash through the stem ends into halves. Prick the skin in several places with a knife and scoop out the seeds.
Brush the cut surfaces with olive oil. Nest the garlic inside the squash cavities and place the squash halves in the pan, cut side down. Add the onions to the pan and brush with the remaining oil.
Pour water in the bottom of the pan, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5-10 minutes.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and discard the skins.
In batches in a blender, combine the baked vegetables, apple juice, thyme, nutmeg, salt & pepper and puree until smooth.
Pour the soup into a pot and heat gently.
In a small skillet, melt the butter and saute the sage leaves until dark & curled. Garnish each bowl of soup with the sage leaves.



Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special