Cafe Luna's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This is a wonderful soup, a meal in itself with a light green salad and a hunk of good crusted bread. Don't be intimidated by the procedures, they are just steps easily achieved. This soup will make you and your guests and family happy. A note to consider: try this cold, or lightly chilled. Let me know how you like it. David

Roasted Vegetables:
2 # Butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 cup (About 3 whole heads) fresh garlic cloves
1 med. White or yellow onions, large chunk diced
1 pasilla chile, seeded and chopped
1 cups fresh ginger, chopped into ½" dice (no need to peel, but make sure fresh with no blemishes)
2 large carrots, washed and chopped
1 medium apple, cored and chopped
2 TBL. Olive oil
2 TBL. Honey, warmed slightly

Preheat top broiler to medium or high.
1. Mix all the above ingredients together to cover with oil and honey.
2. Place all the vegetables on a roasting pan, or cookie sheet with sides, and place under broiler for about 25 minutes, middle shelf of the oven, stirring every 10 minutes or until nice and golden and beginning to show dark caramelization on the squash and onions.

While you are roasting the above, you can assemble this, the second part of the recipe:

Soup Ingredients:
4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 TBL Orange juice concentrate or juice of one orange and the zest
3 TBL Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Nugmeg
1 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
pinch of chile flakes
1 TBL. Kosher Salt
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
3 qts. Rich chicken or vegetable stock , or water
1-2 cups Heavy Cream

Procedure:
1. In a large soup pot, pour roasted vegetables in pot, and the potatoes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT CREAM AND CILANTRO.
3. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until potato is very soft.
4. Pour soup into another container to begin the puree process.
5. Add the cilantro, (no need to cook) stir, and then puree the soup until very smooth, placing back into the soup pot.
6. Add the cream and at medium heat, bring back just under a boil.
7. Adjust the seasonings depending on your tastes with salt.

Cool or serve immediately.
Note: this soup is also delicious served chilled.

Served topped with a dollop of Cilantro Sour Cream (recipe below) and fresh minced scallions sliced very thin at a 45 degree angle for presentation, and a dusting of paprika for color.

Cilantro Sour Cream:
1 cup sour cream
2 TBL heavy cream, half and half or milk
2 TBL fresh minced cilantro leaves and stems
2 TBL fresh minced scallions
1 TBL fresh minced parsley
pinch of salt

Place in blender and puree until very smooth and light green in color. Refrigerate until ready to use.