Roasted Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup

More of a fall-ish soup, but I had an old butternut squash lying around, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Turned out fuckin' delicious, if I say so myself. The brown spices, maple syrup, and coconut milk complement each other well and make this a really hearty, creamy (though vegan), complex soup. Serve with some good, crusty bread, if available.

Prep time: 2 cocktails

A 1.5 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1” cubes
2 TBSP olive oil
3 TBSP butter (for vegans, you can use olive oil)
1 small onion
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
2 cups veggie stock, store-bought or homemade (click here for recipe)
1/2 cup water
½ tsp salt
3 TBSP maple syrup
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cardamom
4 Star anise pods (don’t use broken ones, as you’ll want to fish them out later)
A few minced fresh sage leaves or a dollop of crème fraiche (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. When oven is hot, toss the squash cubes in a mixing bowl with the olive oil. Then transfer to a cookie sheet and arrange so they aren’t touching. Place in oven and cook until they become a bit browned and are soft all the way through, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven.

While butternut squash is cooking, heat the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add onion and sauté until golden-brown, about 8 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients (but not the squash). Simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Fish out the star anise pods and discard.

Add squash and cook another minute. Transfer soup to a blender or food processor (you might have to do this in batches). Process until completely smooth. Return to the pot and bring back to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and continue to cook, stirring frequently for 5 more minutes, or until you reach the desired consistency (or add water, if your soup is too thick).

Add the sage leaves, crème fraiche (if using) and a few grinds of black pepper as a garnish. A drizzle of olive oil is also great.