I never thought that squash and pears with chocolate would be an appealing combination but it’s the chocolate drizzle combined with the roasted pears, that make this soup complete! This is a perfect time of year for butternut squash served any way. This soup is creamy and satisfying. I just finished the leftovers :-)!

• 2 onions, diced
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 5 cups)
• 2 tablespoons of butter (or 2 tbls olive oil or a combo of both)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger
• 5 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 3 just-ripe pears, such as Anjou
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces high-quality dark chocolate
• 2 to 4 teaspoons light or heavy cream

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, sauté the onions and squash in the butter (or olive oil) over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and half the ginger and sauté for an additional minute. Add the water and salt, bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until the squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the pears. Then hold each pear upright and cut one side off as close to the core as possible without cutting the core; cut the other sides off. Thinly slice each piece, about 1/4 inch thick and place in a bowl. Mix in the cinnamon, olive oil and remaining 1 tablespoon of ginger and place slices on prepared baking sheet. Bake immediately for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the pear gets slightly golden, maybe a bit browned on the edges. Set aside (don’t skip this part-the pears add so much flavor to the soup!)

Puree the soup in a blender, adding three quarters of the baked pear slices. Save the remaining quarter for the garnish. Season with black pepper and salt to taste. I added about 2 teaspoons of sherry vinegar, at little acid brings out the flavors…this is optional.

Before serving the soup, break up the chocolate into pieces, place in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of cream, adding additional cream if necessary until the chocolate reaches a pouring consistency. Ladle the soup into bowls, lay 2 or 3 pear slices in the center of each bowl and spoon the chocolate sauce in a few concentric circles over the pears. Pass the remainder of the chocolate at the table.

We dipped some fresh strawberries in the remaining chocolate!

Source: Catherine Walthers Soups and Sides Cookbook