Butternut Squash Soup

We have had a couple of really good years for butternut squash.  If I grow a half a row of these easy-to-store veggies, I usually get ten pounds or more of fruit to store downstairs, which is plenty to get us through the winter.  Plus, I love that the seeds are so easy to extract and save; this past year, I grew all of our butternut squash from saved seeds, which meant that the entire harvest was free!

Of course, that means we have to eat the squash, and my new favorite recipe is butternut squash soup.  It is pretty easy for this recipe to be entirely local even in winter, since it is primarily made of storage veggies, stock, and herbs.  Or, if you are like me, you can do a combo of store-bought and homegrown veggies.  

The base soup is very mild, so you can alter the herbs to your own taste.  I tried to pick some flavors that would give it a warm kick, which seemed just right in winter.

Butternut Squash Soup
1 T. butter
1 small/medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1 medium or 2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 quart stock (I used homemade chicken stock)
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
marjoram (about 1 T. dried leaves, crushed to 1 t.)
curry powder, about 1/2 to 1 t., to taste

Melt butter in large stock pot and cook onions and garlic until wilted and clear.  Add remaining vegetables and stock, and cook until veggies are soft, about 30-40 minutes.  Add herbs and spices and cook about 5 minutes more.  Puree until smooth with immersion blender.

Makes 2 large servings.

The Analysis
Fast:  This soup takes about an hour of active cooking and prep, what with all of the chopping and blending, but it is totally worth it.

Cheap:  If you still have a cellar full of veggies and stock, you might be able to make this totally from your stores.  Otherwise, feel free to shop for the veggies you need.  I bought the carrots, potatoes, and onions.

Good:  We had no leftovers from this batch, so that tells you how much we enjoyed it.  It would be easy to make this recipe entirely vegetarian if you use vegetable stock, or vegan if you also omit the butter (use a smidge of olive oil to cook your onions).