Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, about 1 1/2-2 pounds
- 2 pears (Bartlett or Anjou works well)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup diced leeks, pale green and white parts only
- 4 cups vegetable stock, or chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 cups cleaned and shredded Swiss chard
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (arils) for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°.
Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Peel, halve and core the pears. Place squash and pears cut side down on the foil-lined pan. Bake about 20–30 minutes, depending on the pears' ripeness, until they are soft. Remove pears and continue baking squash an additional 25–30 minutes, until a knife easily pierces the skin.
Remove squash and let cool until you can scoop flesh from squash; reserve flesh.
Heat butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium Dutch oven. Add leeks and saute over low heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add roasted squash and pears, along with the stock, raise heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.
Heat a medium saute pan, add remaining oil and saute garlic and chard leaves for 1 1/2 to 3 minutes over high heat, until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve soup topped with about 2 tablespoons of wilted greens and garnish with a sprinkling of pomegranate arils.
About this recipe
Further Ideas:
Compost the butternut squash and pear skins, along with the leek leaves.
Add leek leaves to homemade stocks.
Use a melon baller to core pears.
Roast squash seeds as you would pumpkin seeds.
