Butternut Squash Soup with Balsamic-Roasted Tomatoes

Last week I finished Term 2 of business school and suddenly found myself with time on my hands. So I’m back in the kitchen… cooking, eating, making a mess, and generally having a good time.

Today was a dark and dreary day in Northern California, so I made soup: butternut squash soup with balsamic-roasted tomatoes. It’s rich and full of flavor, but it’s made with a broth base (not cream) so it’s not too heavy. Served with a crusty hunk of toasted wheat bread, it makes a nice dinner… for a single girl home alone and still in her pajamas at 6 p.m.

1 butternut squash, cut in half and seeded
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
6 plum tomatoes, cored and halved
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 red onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
6 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
juice of 2 oranges

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the butternut squash cut side down in a large, shallow baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the dish. Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

Toss the tomatoes and garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Place the mixture in a small baking dish and roast 30-35 minutes or until the skins are shriveled. Cool slightly, remove the garlic cloves, pull the skins from the tomatoes and then crush gently with a fork.

Heat the remaining olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and cook for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the carrot and celery and cook an additional 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the broth, salt and pepper to the vegetable mixture, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Scoop the cooked squash out of its skin and add to the broth mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped herbs.

Working in small batches, transfer the soup to a food processor fitted with the metal blade and puree until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in the tomatoes and orange juice. Season with salt and pepper if desired, reheat if necessary, and serve immediately.

Tip: To remove thyme leaves, hold the stem by the tip between your thumb and forefinger. Run your other thumb and forefinger down the stem in the opposite direction against the leaves. (See photo above.) The leaves should just slip off.