Squash, Crab & Chipotle Soup

Squash, Crab & Chipotle Soup

Ingredients:

·         1 large butternut squash OR 2 large acorn squashes

·         2 tbsp Brown Sugar

·         3 tbsp Butter

·         2 large Leeks (white part only), cleaned thoroughly and chopped

·         3 tsp minced, peeled fresh ginger

·         5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

·         2 cans lump crab

·         ½ tsp chipotle (be careful, gets hot fast)

·         Chopped parsley or cilantro

Directions:     

1)Preheat oven to 400 degrees

            2 )      Place squash (halved and seeded) cut side down on oiled baking sheet

            3  )      Bake until squash can easily be pierced with a fork (1 hour for butternut squash, 20-45 for acorn)

            4 )      Let squash cool for 30 minutes (flip over when possible to allow for more efficient cooling) & Scoop pulp from skin

            5 )      Melt butter in soup pot over med-low heat

           6 )      Add leeks & ginger, cook, stirring until tender (not brown, when the recipe is doubled this takes about 5-7 minutes)

            7 )      Stir in squash and 4 cups veg/chicken stock 

            8)      Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and breaking up squash with a spoon for 20 minutes

            9)      Add brown sugar

          10)   Puree contents of soup pot until smooth (I like to use an immersion blender, worth the investment), return to the pot and stir in: the rest of the veg/chicken stock, 2 can crab meat, and chipotle

          11)   Heat through and serve garnished with chopped parsley or cilantro

(My cousin adds toasted, sliced baguette bread as a garnish.  I however, am lazy and don’t. Ya’ll can slice and toast your own baguette.)