Simple Butternut Squash Soup

Total time: 30 minutes
    Butternut squash makes a lovely, creamy soup with no cream and very little fat.  A dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream to finish and you have the perfect autumn soup.

 Ingredients:

• 1 medium leek
• 1/3 butternut squash   about 2 cups, cubed
• 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) chicken stock
• 1 tbs olive oil
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 2 tbs crème fraiche or Greek Yogurt

 Instructions:

• Cut the squash into small cubes, roughly 2 cups. 
• Clean and slice the leek. 
• In medium sauce pan sauté leek in oil until transparent. 
• Add squash, stock, sage and nutmeg. 
• Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer 15 - 20 minutes, until squash is tender. 
• Purée soup - either with blender or immersion blender.  
• At this point you can add more stock if you prefer a thinner soup. 
• Add parsley and gently reheat.  
• To serve: ladle into soup plates or bowls, put dollop of yogurt or crème fraiche in the center and serve.

Note:  To clean butternut squash first peel it, using a potato/vegetable peeler.  If it's large (typically) cut it in half between the 'neck' and 'bowl' ends.  Then cut those in half the 'long' way.  Scoop the seeds out of the round end and discard.  I use the neck end for uniform pieces and the bowl end for soups and smaller pieces. Wrap what you're not using in plastic wrap and refrigerate.