creamy butternut squash soup with roasted garlic

Mmm... a taste of autumn.

(4 to 6 servings)

1 large onion
1 carrot
2 celery ribs
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium-sized butternut squash
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
3 c chicken broth
¼ c dry white wine (sauvignon blanc, for example)
1 roasted head of garlic
½ c heavy cream
chopped parsley and chives, for garnish

To roast the garlic, cut in half crosswise and drizzle cut sides with olive oil. Reassemble and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Roast in a 350°F toaster oven for 60 to 90 minutes, until garlic is soft and slightly brown. Let the garlic cool in the foil.

Coarsely chop onion, carrot, and celery (big 1- to 1½-inch chunks). Heat butter and olive oil in a pot. Sauté onion, carrot, and celery on low heat for about 5 minutes.

Peel, seed, and cube the squash. Start by cutting the squash crosswise to separate the longer "neck" from the round, bulb-looking part. Cut the bulb-looking part in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out using a spoon. To peel, use a sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife. You want to peel juuust enough to expose the bright orange flesh. Cut into 1-inch chunks.

Add squash to the vegetable mixture and sauté for a couple minutes. Get everything coated with the butter/oil mixture. Season with salt and pepper, add chopped sage.

Add broth and wine. Cover and simmer on low heat for 25 minutes, until squash is soft.

After letting the mixture cool a little bit, purée in a blender, in batches. Fill the blender about halfway, keep a small crack in the lid (this prevents hot liquid explosions), and start by pulsing. Hold the lid down with a towel or something; you don't want any crazy steam burns.

Pour blended mixture back into pot. Squeeze roasted garlic into a small bowl and mash until smooth. Stir into soup.

Note: everything up to this point can be done ahead of time. In fact, I find that soup tastes better if you let it hang out in the fridge overnight... lets the flavors blend.

Once the soup is re-heated, turn the stove off and stir in the cream. Garnish with chives and parsley.