Roast Squash, Onion and Garlic Soup

This is a good winter soup, the natural sweetness of the butternut squash is brought out by roasting. I definitely like the yellow colour of the finished soup. I also like roasted garlic; they become sweet and delicious. Put in a good chicken broth for even more flavour. Serve hot with a good hunk of bread.

Roast Squash, Onion and Garlic Soup
1 butternut squash (1/2 kg)
1 onion
1/3 bulb garlic
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp dried rosemary leaves, crumbled
pinch coarse sea salt and pepper
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Preheat oven to 190C/375F.

Peel skin from butternut squash, cut into half, then scoop out seeds and seed membranes from inside; cut into 2-inch chunks. Cut onion into wedges. Separate cloves of garlic (about 7-8), but do not remove skin.

In medium bowl, toss vegetables with oil, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Spread onto a large shallow roasting pan and roast for 40-45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven.

Squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of their skin. Remove any burned vegetables. Puree roasted vegetables with vegetable broth until smooth (or leave a little chunky for more texture). Heat in saucepan until bubbling and hot.