I have received so many phone calls and emails requesting me to put this recipe on my website.  Well here it is.  This is my all-time favorite Fall Soup when Butternut Squash is at its peak sugar content and flavor.  In my Soup Class, I teach the formula for making wonderful pureed vegetable soups no matter what you may find at the market.  The key to making it great is to only use vegetables at their peak ripeness.  This recipe has so few ingredients so each one needs to be perfect.  Homemade chicken stock does make this soup richer but I have found that the canned Organic 99% fat-free versions to work just as well.  The crab adds a little "surprise" in the bottom of each bowl for your guests to find, but it can certainly be omitted.

Serves 6-8

2 medium Butternut Squash
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion; diced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 Cups Homemade Chicken Stock or 4 14-oz cans Chicken Broth
Salt to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1/2 pound Lump Blue Crab

1. Heat oven to 350F.

2. Carefully slice squash in half lengthwise and lay cutside down on a baking sheet covered either with Silpat, foil or parchment paper drizzled with olive oil. 

3. Roast for 40-45 minutes or longer depending on the size of the squash.  If a knife easily glides into the flesh and the flesh feels soft it is done.  Remove from oven and let cool to handle.

4. In a large cast-iron or soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are soft.  Be careful not to color or burn the garlic.

5. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy threads in the cavity of each squash half.  Scoop the roasted flesh into the pot and mix well with a wooden spoon.

6.  Add enough Chicken Stock to just cover the ingredients in the pot and bring to a simmer.

7. Turn burner off.  To puree the soup you can either use an immersion "stick" blender and blend right in the pot or use a regular blender.  If using a regular blender you will need to blend the soup in several batches.  Ladle soup into the blender to fill it half-way.  Since hot liquids have a tendency to blow the lid off your blender, hold the lid with a kitchen towel and begin blending on slow speed.  Pour into a new pot and repeat with remaining soup.

8.  Taste the pureed soup and season with salt and cayenne pepper.  The amount you add is strictly up to your taste.  You can even omit the cayenne all together and add other ground spices like ginger, cumin or nutmeg.

9.  To serve:  Divide the crab between 6 soup bowls.  Ladle soup on top.  Garnish with croutons, whipped cream or chopped chives.