Butternut Squash Soup (Heavenly Spicy Version)

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1          Butternut squash

2-4       Peppers
(Mix sweet and hot peppers. Jalapenos are good, but for a milder flavor, I used a red poblano pepper, with 2 banana peppers to give the flavor of Jalapenos)

½            Onion

1             Lime

1 can     Coconut Milk

2 cups    Apple Cider

2-3         Bay Leaves

               Salt, Pepper, Turmeric, Soy Sauce, Olive Oil, Butter.

For garnish:Scallions and Cilantro (Chopped)

1.      Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2.      Cut Butternut Squash in half. Scoop seeds out with a spoon. Lay both halves open on the cookie sheet, coarsely grind salt and paper on top, and drizzle with olive oil.  Rock the halves to help the Oil spread thin over the entire surface.

3.      Bake and set timer to 50 min.

4.      Towards the end of the baking, prepare the other ingredients.  Stem the Peppers and take the seeds out, then slice.  I like to slice Banana Peppers and Jalapenos into rings, other types of Peppers into ribbons.

5.      Slice the Onion into ribbons.

6.      [Oven Glove] Check on the Butternut Squash. It is ready when you can stick a fork through easily, but it’s not too mushy and the skin’s still intact. Add 5-10 more minutes to the timer if needed.

7.      [Oven Glove] Once the Squash is done, take it out and set it aside to cool a little - 10 min. or so.

8.      [Oven Glove] When the Squash has cooled enough to handle safely, use a tablespoon to scoop out the pulp into the bowl of a blender.

9.      Heat the Oil in a 3-qt (or larger) lidded pot.  Add a tablespoon of Butter. When the butter is melted, add the Onions and sauté for a few min, then add the Bay Leaves and Peppers and stir thoroughly. Cover and turn down heat to Medium.

10.   Shake then open the can of Coconut Milk. Stir the contents, then pour into the pot. Stir to mix.

11.   Add the Apple Cider to cover the Squash in the blender.  Blend at the lowest setting, gradually increasing intensity until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

12.   Pour the Squash mixture into the pot and stir. Add 1 teaspoon Turmeric. Add about 1 cup of Water to the blender, and using it to get the rest of the Squash off the walls, pour into the pot.

13.   Raise the stove setting to Med-Hi and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

14.   Once it boils, turn down the heat, then add a drizzle of Soy Sauce, squeeze the Lime on it, stir, then simmer for a couple of minutes.

15.   Voila! Garnish with Scallions and Cilantro.