Hearty ButterNut Squash Soup

It's been nearly a week since my last recipe-cum-sports commentary, and like many others in Philadelphia I've been in a state of subdued, introspective quiet following Game 6. We've taken a break from braggadocio uncharacteristic of Phillies fans.

Yep, we got taken down a peg- and that's not such a bad thing.

In fact, with all of this talk about the exorbitant spending it took to make the New York Yankees champions again, people seem to be receptive to thrift and moderation ($9 Million for Cliff Lee is a DEAL). Poormet recipes, anyone?

Hearty ButterNut Squash and Ginger Soup: 45-60 minutes, $5.00, 4 bowls, $1.25/serving

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Butternut Squash-- I bought one of these guys at the Italian Market last week for $1.50/piece, instead of at a supermarket which charges by the pound. Look for more width in the neck of the bnut, since the bulb is hollow.
  
• 1 medium onion
  
• 2 large carrots
• 2 stalks of celery
  
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 Tablespoon of minced fresh ginger
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 overflowing Irish pint of water (22-24 ounces)
  

Preparation:

1. Butternut Squashes are these weird, phallic vegetables that can be tricky to cut. Take your 7 inch santoku and cut off the tippy top of the stem. Next, separate the bulb at the bottom. Next, place the Bnut standing upright and cut off the skin of the main section. Then, cut off the skin of the bulb. There are seeds in the bulb, so cut those out as well. Then, cut the main section into 8-10 discs 1/2 inch thick. Then, andrew DICE clay everything. Set aside.
2. Heat up 1 Tbsp olive oil in a spaghetti pot.
3. Dice onion, carrots and celery and add to pot. Cover. Cook on medium for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
   
4. Mince garlic and ginger and add to pot. (1 Tbsp of ginger is about the size of your thumb-as long as you don't have thin thumbs. If you've got a fat thumb, you're in luck, because your soup will taste extra fresh). Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add diced Bnut, 1 tsp of salt, 0.5 tsp of pepper, and the other Tbsp of olive oil. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add water, COVER and cook for 25 minutes. Heat on medium. Should bubble a little bit.
7. If you have a blender (not a bad investment- saw one on craigslist for $10), turn off the heat and let the soup cool for 10 minutes or so. Then, blend it up and eat with some hearty bread (recipe, Ian???). OTHERWISE, I just ate a lumpy version of the soup and it was tasty.

Enjoy!

Phils in 5... in 2010.