Butternut Squash Soup!

Now don't turn up your nose because I said squash.  Most butternut squash soup I have eaten is made with apple and is a bit sweet.  Many people don't like sweet in thier soup.  This recipe is not made with apples and is more savory.  It will serve six to eight.

The recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated.  Must give credit where credit is due, though I did change it a tiny bit.  The hardest part is peeling and cutting the squash, but you can buy it already peeled and cut at the grocer.  I just have something against paying someone to do prepwork that I could do.  Call me cheap.

2 1/2 lbs butternut squash, cut into large chunks
2 T butter
1 t salt
1 leek, white and light green parts.  Rinse thouroughly, they often have sand in them.  Cut in half lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 - 2 cups water
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (one box)
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried.
1 bay leaf
8 oz. container of sour cream

Place squash in a glass bowl, cover and microwave on high about 14 - 18 minutes or until a knife goes easily into the flesh.  Stir the squash halfway through the cooking.

Drain the squash and reserve the liquid.  Melt butter in a Dutch oven oven.  Add squash, leek and salt.  Cook over medium high heat until squash begins to break down and form a slightly brown coating on the bottom of the pot - about ten minutes. 

Add 2 cups of the broth and scrape the brown coating off the bottom of the pot, mixing thoroughly.  Add the remaining two cups of broth, the reserved liquid from the cooked squash, and 1 cup of water.  Add the thyme and bay leaf.  Raise heat to high, as soon as it gets to a simmer, lower the heat to medium and cook until leeks are tender-about six minutes. 

Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs.  In small batches, blend in blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender (my choice) to puree the soup. If soup seems to thick add remainder of the water and heat through.  Pour a few ladlefuls of soup into a bowl, add sour cream and mix well with whisk.  Add this mixture back to the pot, mix and add salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!