This is a lovely creamy soup of toasty butternut squash. A real winner when the Monterey fog rolls in and reminds us that it can get nippy in California.

Ingredients

• 2 Butternut Squash
• 4 tablespoons sweet butter
• 1 onion sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sage, chopped
• 1/2 nutmeg, grated
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Cut squash lengthwise and seed. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast face down on a parchment lined cookie sheet until tender (about 45 minutes).

2. In a soup pot sweat onions in butter until translucent. Add thyme, sage, and nutmeg and season with salt.

3. Scrape squash from peel into pan with onions. Add stock and simmer for 1 hour. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Add maple syrup, cream and cider vinegar.

4. Puree in a food processor (probably in batches depending on the size of your processor).

5. Heat and serve with a dollop of herbed goat cheese and a few drops of chili oil.

Yummy