Savory Squash Soup

OK...here we go, the start of Meatless Mondays. Every Monday I will be posting a new recipe, please send me your favorite recipe to share. This is one of my signature dishes, I get asked to make this soup all the time, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. For those of you that don't want to use cream, leave it out...but we all know a little cream makes everything taste better!

Serves 4

* use organic and local when possible

Ingredients

• 3-3/4 pounds Pumpkin or butternut squash
• 1 each (1-3/4 pounds) Acorn squash
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) Unsalted butter
• 1 each (4 ounces) White onion peeled, trimmed, and finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon White Pepper, freshly ground
• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, ground
• 1/4 teaspoon Ginger, ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon Cardamom, ground
• ¹/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 4 cups Organic Chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1 sprig Rosemary, fresh

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut each squash in half and discard the seeds. Brush cut sides with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Arrange squash cut side down on rack placed in baking tray, bake until tender, 1 1/2 hours. Cool, scoop out insides of the squash, and puree the flesh in a food processor. Reserve. (Yield 4 cups)
3. In a medium stockpot, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Over low heat, sweat the onion. Do not allow it to brown. Add the pureed squash and cook over very low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally. Do not allow it to bubble up. Season with the salt, pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, brown sugar and lemon juice.
4. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, still over low heat, stir often. Cook 20 minutes.
5. In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the rosemary sprig. Remove the rosemary and pour the cream into the soup. Transfer to a blender or food processor and process, in batches, for 2 or 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
6. To serve, ladle the soup into heated bowls and enjoy!