Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Ancho Chili

The great thing about a Convection oven is that it is incredibly easy to cook several different foods at one time. All it takes is a little planning. Best of all it’s so easy to quickly chop a butternut squash and add it to the oven to cook while you are cooking another dish at the same time. Since one of the benefits of convection cooking is being able to cook on multiple racks at one time with no transfer of flavor, it’s a shame to miss the opportunity to get another meal started.

This recipe serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, cut into 1 - 2” chunks

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp Ancho chili powder

1 tsp toasted Pistachio or Walnut oil (optional)

Soup Base

1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

2 stalks celery, strings removed, cut into 2” chunks

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2” chunks

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

¼ tsp dried oregano

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

PREPARATION

Heat the oven in the Convection Bake Mode 375 degrees.

Toss the cubed butternut squash with the olive oil and chili powder or spice of your preference. The squash should be lightly coated with oil, so drizzle a little more oil over the cubed squash if needed. 

Spread the squash onto a rimmed baking pan and bake on the lower rack for 25 - 30 minutes until the flesh has softened. Meanwhile prepare the soup base.

Soup

Heat a 2 qt saucepan over moderate heat. Add 2 tbsp unsalted butter and a little olive oil.

When the butter is sizzling and beginning to brown, stir in the onion and cook over moderate heat until translucent.

Stir in the celery and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes on medium low heat taking care not to burn the onions. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for a few minutes then stir in the stock.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the cooked squash then puree. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

A nice way to finish this soup before serving is with a drizzle of a specialty oil such as roasted pistachio or walnut oil, it just adds that little extra depth of flavor.