Recipes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Place squash cut-side down on sheet and bake until soft, about 1 hour. Remove squash to cutting board, slip out of skins (or use paring knife to peel the bits that are still stuck on), and cut into 2" chunks.

Place a large pot over medium-low heat and add oil. When oil is hot but not sizzling, add onions, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, cover, and sweat vegetables for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Add squash and 3-4 cups chicken stock, depending on how much squash you have. Turn heat to high; bring to a boil, then drop the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to a thick, creamy consistency. Return pot to low heat; allow to come to a simmer and stir to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

NOTES: I like ginger. A lot. I often add more than what it says here. Also, I like my squash soup on the thick side, almost puree consistency. If you want it thinner, add more chicken stock. Or vegetable stock, if you're staying vegetarian.

This soup lends itself to a variety of different add-ins. You could add in a teaspoon of cinnamon or curry powder. You can bump up the amount of brown sugar by another tablespoon or add a little maple syrup for a sweeter flavor. I'd recommend garnishing this soup with crystallized or candied ginger pieces.