Roasted Butternut Squash soup with crispy bacon and Pomegranate seeds

Winter is the time of year that screams for warm, rich and savory soups. Butternut Squash is in its peak of freshness, and it’s so full of flavor that I just needed to use them before they go out of season. This is a very unique and interesting recipe I came up with the other day; it has a lot of different flavors that all balance each other out. This soups hits many different flavor notes which makes for an interesting eating experience.

Roasted Butternut Squash with crispy bacon and Pomegranate seeds(makes 4 servings)

3.5 lbs butternut squash


4 sage leaves

2 slices bacon, chopped

1 large yellow onion, diced


1 large carrots, diced


2 stalks celery, diced


2 cups chicken or beef stock


1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg


1 tsp salt


1 tsp freshly ground pepper


1/4 pomegranate, seeded

Note; if you want this soup to be vegetarian, omit the pancetta and cook the vegetables in olive oil. Omit the chicken or beef stock and use vegetable stock or water. You may need extra salt and seasonings.

Directions

1. Cut Squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Season Squash with salt, sage, pepper and olive oil. Roast, cut side down in a 375-degree oven for 1 hour.
   
   
2. Dice vegetables and bacon. Render bacon fat in a deep pot and cook until crispy, remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot. Add veggies to fat and cook under low-medium heat for about an hour.
   
   
3. When Squash is done, scoop out, leaving the skin and add to the Mirepoix.
4. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth, adding stock as you go.
5. To seed pomegranate, place in a bowl of cold water and brake apart the membrane. The seeds will fall to the bottom and the white membrane to the top.
6. Top with bacon and pomegranate seeds.