6 peeled garlic cloves
1 large peeled shallot
1tbsp olive oil
2 acorn squash (you can substitute butternut squash or pumpkin if you want)
3c chicken or vegetable stock
1/4c half-n-half or light cream
1/4c maple syrup
1tsp salt
ground pepper to taste

Serves 4

1. Wrap the peeled garlic cloves in a bit of tin foil and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees F for about a half an hour. They should be soft, fragrant and sweet when they come out of the oven.

2. Dice the shallot.

3. Carefully cut up the acorn squash. Acorn squash is hard to cut; you’ll need a sharp strong knife. Be very careful while you’re working with it; it’s very easy to bounce the knife off the squash, and you really don’t want chunks of your fingers in the soup. First, cut the top and bottom off the squash. Then halve it. Scoop out the seeds (I wonder if roasted squash seeds are as tasty as pumpkin seeds… I’ll have to try this some time). Now halve the halves and cut the peel off with your knife. I find that squash are generally resistant to using vegetable peelers, so if I’m patient I try to carefully cut just the skin off; if I’m more pressed for time, I cut larger amounts of squash off with the skin.

Once you have your quash peeled, cut it into roughly 3/4 inch chunks.

An alternative to cutting the acorn squash is to buy pre-cut butternut squash - most supermarkets will carry bags of cut up squash in the vegetable section.

4. Heat the olive oil to low medium heat in a small pot. If it starts smoking, turn down the heat right away; it’s too hot. Add the diced shallot and cook it for about five minutes, stirring frequently. You’re looking for the shallot to turn translucent and melt into the olive oil; if it turns brown and becomes hard, it’s too hot.

5. Once the shallot is ready, add the squash and stock. Bring to a low boil and cook it for about a half hour or until the squash is soft.

6. Remove the squash and soup from the burner and let it cool for a few minutes. Add the half-n-half or cream and the maple syrup. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

7. Puree the soup in your favorite way. I usually use a blender, but you could also use a food processor or handheld puree wand. Reheat the soup if it’s cooled too much, and serve.

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