Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

If you think you've had butternut squash soup, you need to throw that recipe out the window and try this version. I slightly altered an Alton Brown recipe, with great success!

At the end of the dinner party, we all talked about which course was our favorite and this soup was mentioned a few times. It was so creamy and flavorful, I will definitely be making it again and again.

2 large or 3 medium butternut squash
~3 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt
white pepper
~5 cups vegetable stock
3 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp real maple syrup
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup real maple syrup
toasted pine nuts

Begin by mixing the cumin and maple syrup in a small jar and shaking vigorously. Continue shaking throughout the day to help the cumin dissolve and flavor the syrup. Toast pine nuts slowly in a dry pan over medium heat until aromatic and tanned.

Cut the butternut squash into 8ths, removing the seeds and guts. Toss in a large bowl with the olive oil, salt and white pepper. Spread out onto a baking sheet and roast in a 425° oven for 45-60 minutes, until the pieces are tender and starting to brown in parts. Remove and let cool until easy to handle, then remove the skin.

Add the squash pieces and vegetable stock to a large pot and puree with a stick blender. Add the honey, maple syrup, and ginger. Continue cooking until hot and adjust seasonings to taste preference. A few minutes before serving, stir in the cream until incorporated.

Ladle into a bowl and top with a drizzle of the cumin-scented maple syrup and a healthy pinch of toasted pine nuts.

Reheats well.