Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

Preparing a squash is kind of a pain in the ass, but man, is it worth it. Took me a little over an hour to make this recipe, and it serves 6–8.

Have I mentioned lately I'm not a food photographer?

You'll need:

4 tbsp. butter
1 butternut squash
5 new potatoes
1 medium onion
6 cloves garlic
1 qt. water
cumin
cinnamon
black pepper
salt

1. Melt the butter in a large stew pot.

2. Prepare the squash, by peeling it with a potato peeler. Cut it in half length-wise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut it into 1-inch cubes and toss them in the stew pot. Flex your aching wrist. Also cube the potatoes—I didn't bother peeling them, because their skins are thin and give the otherwise smooth soup some nice texture. Toss those in. Mince the onion and garlic and add those as well.

3. Set the burner on medium-high heat, turning all the ingredients in the butter and cooking/stirring until the onions are clear and the kitchen smells awesome (about five minutes).

4. Add enough water to just cover the ingredients (you can also use chicken or vegetable stock, but I didn't have any and the water worked just fine). Bring to a boil.

5. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 30–40 minutes, until the squash and potatoes are soft.

6. Purée the soft ingredients in a blender, then return them to the pot.

7. Keep the soup simmering, adding spices to taste. I used a LOT of cumin, a dash of cinnamon, a ton of black pepper, and quite a bit of salt. Serve.

8. Leftovers will keep for a few days in the fridge, and for ages in the freezer. Enjoy!