Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Creme Heart Swirls

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 2 1/2 lb Butternut Squash (3 cups, cooked)
• 1 Tbs Olive Oil, plus extra for brushing
• 1 Tbs unsalted butter
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• freshly ground pepper
• 3 Tbs Calvados or Brandy
• 3 1/2 c. homemade chicken stock, vegetable stock or 2 14 oz. cans chicken or vegetable broth, plus more as needed
• 3/4 c. Evaporated Milk
• fresh grated Nutmeg or pinch of ground Nutmeg
• 2 Tbs. sour cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut the squash in half, lengthwise.  Brush the squash flesh with olive oil, and place face-down on a roasting pan.  Check the squash after 35 to 45 minutes, though it could take over an hour.  When the squash is very soft and yields to the touch, remove from the oven and let could enough to handle, about 20 minutes.

(I totally forgo to take the store sticker off of my squash...no biggie!)

Meanwhile, add the olive oil and butter to a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Be careful that the onion does not color at all.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Add the Calvados and cook until the liquid evaporates.  Remove from heat.

Once the squash has cooled, remove the seeds and scoop out the squash flesh, discarding the skin.  Place in a small bowl.  You will need 3 cups of butternut squash for this recipe.  Reserve any extra for later use.  (I ate mine for dessert a couple of times w/butter and brown sugar.)

Combine half of the cooked squash, half of the onion, half of the chicken stock and half of the evaporated milk in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour back into a medium heavy-bottomed pot.  Repeat, blending the second half of the squash, onion, chicken broth, and evaporated milk.  Once blened, pour into the pot with the first batch.  Season with kosher salt, pepper and nutmeg to tast.  Bring to a simmer over meduim-low heat.  (Adjust consistency, if necessary, iwth more chicken stock or water.)

 (I LOVED this soup...it was such a BRIGHT, RICH color and tasted great too...really LIGHT and REFRESHING!)

Place the sour cream in a small bowl and stir using a spoon, until silky smooth.  Think slightly by stirring in 2 teaspoons of warm water.  Divide the soup among the number of bowls to be served.  With a small spoon, drop 5 small, pea-sized dots in a circle, on top of the soup.  Take a sharp knife, and run the knife straight through the dot, creating a heart shape.  Serve immediately.  ***Take caution that some men may not think the hearts look like hearts.  Greg thought they looked like something else entirely.***

(See if you can guess what Greg thought the hearts were...Kylie NO CHEATING!!!)

enjoy!