Acorn Squash Soup

Soup again! Squash, this time. This has been the shortest summer I've ever experienced, but I can't really complain, since that means it's hot soup weather.

Start with the squash. Cut it up into chunks and throw it in the oven for forty-ish minutes at 350F. I put some bacon fat at the bottom to prevent sticking.

Look at that orange glow.

This is one of the most beautiful sights of the end of summer. Beautiful, sunset-coloured flesh hidden in stony green skin. 

One more glamour shot, and then into the oven.

After they've been roasted, the squash pieces are soft all the way through, and steaming.

After they cool a little, I take the skin off. You can do this at the beginning instead, but I find it's easier to do so after the squash has been softened. In this case, the seeds and strings come out of the center much more easily.

I like this soup earthy, so that means sautéeing portobello mushrooms with onions and garlic until soft. 

Just to finish off the autumn taste in this soup, I add chopped, dried sage leaves to the onion mix. Put on the oven lid to sweat the leaves for about three minutes, and then stir to evenly distribute the flavour. I like a lot of sage, but it can be overwhelming.

After the sage has been added to your taste, add the chopped, skinned, de-seeded squash bits to the onion mix, and cover with water or chicken/beef/vegetable broth. Simmer for twenty minutes, and then blend the soup to your desired smoothness. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

A final reminder of the approaching Fall for you. Wrap up warm, and think about dried sage, nutmeg, and chestnuts.