Easy-Elegant Butternut Squash Soup

A bit of a break from the grossities of Halloween and a retreat instead to the comforts of autumn food on a rainy day.

Easy-Elegant Butternut Squash Soup:

2, butternut squash - base area should be size of small soup bowl
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons shallot, finely minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt (plus salt and pepper to taste)
1, 32 ounce container butternut squash soup
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup fat free half-and-half
3 ounces pancetta, baked to crisp *(See 9-14-09 post)
4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds *(See 9-21-09 post)
4 tablespoons sour cream (or creme fraiche)

Cut 'bowls' from wide end of the squash - approximately 4 inches deep. Scoop seeds from bowl area and discard. Cut remaining squash into quarters (flesh should be approximately 1/2 cup in size each quarter). Salt and pepper cut sides of squash. Place squash, cut side down, in microwave-safe baking dish with 1/2 inch water. (Do in two batches). Microwave per oven instructions - I use the "baked potato" setting and gauge quantity by amount of squash cooking per batch. Example: For two butternut squash bowls, I microwave as two baked potatoes, etc.

Set 'bowls' aside and peel extra squash pieces. In medium-large saucepan, saute 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons shallot, garlic clove and pinch of salt until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add 2 cups cooked butternut squash flesh and using emersable blender - mix until smooth. Stir in container of soup, sherry, pumpkin pie spice, cumin, chili powder and half-and-half. Continue stirring until heated thoroughly. Ladle soup into butternut soupbowls. Top each with a dollup of sour cream (or creme fraiche), a tablespoon of crispy pancetta and a tablespoon of pomegranate seeds.

This dish is so easy, yet so elegant. Always an impressive dish whether served as a starter course or as a main dish.

I am working on a recipe for "Black Widow's Abdomen"...I promise to share soon!