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====== Aromatic Acorn Squash Soup ======
<block small rightalign>Credit: [[user:Celti]]</block>

This is a delicate, flavourful, and creamy soup, with a robust but gentle base of roasted acorn squash and carrots, carrying complex herbal aromatics and a peppery finish.

This is a //large// batch, making nearly a gallon of soup. Scale everything as necessary.

===== Ingredients =====
  ? Vegetables
  : Acorn squash, washed, halved, and seeded, ×5 squashes (about 6 lbs.)
  : Carrots, peeled and chunked, 2 lbs.
  : Shallots, peeled, ×10 large cloves/segments (about 10 oz.)
  : Leeks, finely sliced or shredded, 1 c.
  ? Liquids
  : Butter, 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp.
  : Chicken stock, 2 qt.
  : Heavy cream or half-and-half, 2 c.
  : Cream sherry, 1/4 c.
  ? Herbs & Spices
  : Kosher salt, 2 Tbsp.
  : Coarse black pepper, 1 Tbsp.
  : White pepper, 2 tsp.
  : Fresh sage, 1 Tbsp.
  : Fresh summer savory, 1 Tbsp.
  : Saffron, 1/4 tsp.
  ? Tools
  : Baking sheet lined with aluminium foil
  : Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, 6+ qt.
  : Heatproof immersion blender

==== Substitutions ====
Pre-washed, ready-to-eat “baby” carrots are preparation-free but typically more expensive. \\
If you don't have fresh sage or savory, use a teaspoon and a half of dried. \\
You //can// use a heatproof stand blender, but prepare for lots of messy batches. \\
Some friendly Australians have informed me that Queensland Blue pumpkins work well in place of the acorn squash.

===== Preparation =====
  * Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  * Place the squash halves cut-side-up on the baking sheet, surrounded by the carrots.
  * Place one clove of shallot in the hollow of each squash half.
  * Coat all of the vegetables with a quarter-cup of melted butter, and season liberally with the salt and black pepper.
  * Roast until the squash is beginning to caramelise and collapse (approx. 1 hour), then set aside to cool.
  * While the squash is cooling, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in the pot over medium-high heat.
  * When the butter begins to foam, add the chopped leeks and stir.
  * Reduce heat to low and cover, cooking for 20–30 minutes until the leeks are caramelised, then deglaze with the sherry.
  * Increase heat to medium and add the shallots, carrots, the flesh of the squash, and the chicken stock.
  * Puree the soup with an immersion blender and simmer for 10–15 minutes until well-combined.
  * Stir in the white pepper, saffron, sage, and savory, and let simmer for at least another 15 minutes.
  * Reduce heat to low, blend in the cream, and bring back up to eating temperature; another 10 minutes.
  * Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and/or shredded carrot.