Butternut Bisque

This soup was the very first recipe I ever wrote down. It is still the one I am asked for most often. It's a bit of work, but it makes a huge batch, so freeze half and enjoy it the following week (or be like me and eat butternut bisque four nights in a row).

4 lbs butternut squash
olive oil for roasting the squash
1 cup raw cashews, powdered
6-8 cups veggie stock
2 t dried thyme
1 t rubbed sage
2 t sea salt
3 t fresh ground black pepper (or less if you're scared of that)

Slice your squash (or squashes) lenghwise and then spoon out the guts and seeds and compost (or roast the seeds if you're feeling ambitious). Oil the inside and outside of the squash, roast face down on a dark baking sheet for 45 minutes to an hour or more (this will largely depend on if you got one huge squash, two mediums, four smalls, etc.) You want the outside of the squash to brown, but not burn, and the inside to get soft and yummy.

When the squash is done, put it all into a really large, heavy-bottomed stock pot. Add the veggie stock, and break up the squash. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let it cook for 20 minutes or more.

Add the salt, thyme, and sage to the mixture.

Combine your powdered raw cashews with 1 cup of warm water and blend until totally smooth.
Blend your squash mixture with an immersion blender until smooth (you can also do this, in batches, in a blender, just be sure to remove the plastic center of the blender lid to let steam escape while you blend and be very, very careful!)

Once the squash mixture is smooth, add the cashew cream and then your fresh ground pepper. Add more salt and more pepper to taste.

I like to server this in big white bowls, with a drizzle of leftover cashew cream on top and a sprig of fresh thyme and a grind of black pepper. Gorgeous and delicious. Just how I like everything I eat...