the Sunday Special - Acorn Squash Soup

I have made quite a few versions of acorn squash soup and honestly all of them have been delicious. This week I made some starting with this recipe and altering it to the following.

Acorn Squash Soup

• 1 whole Acorn Squash
  
• 2 Shallots left whole and peeled
• 2 Garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 and 1/3 cups low-sodium Vegetable Stock
  
• 1/2 can Cream of Chicken
  
• dash of Paprika
• dash of Creole seasoning (salt, red pepper, garlic and other spices)
• 1 little squirt of Sriracha Hot Chili sauce
  
• nickle size chunk of Brown Sugar
  
• dash White Pepper
• a dash or 2 Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the squash in half on the equator and remove the seeds with a spoon. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the squash, cut side up. To one of the squash halves, add the peeled shallots and to the other one add 2 garlic cloves on each. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the hot oven until very tender and starting to caramelize and collapse (between 1-2 hours). Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, remove the squash from the skin. Reserve the roasted shallots and garlic with the squash.

In a medium size pan, heat the vegetable stock and cream of chicken on medium-low. Add in the reserved squash, roasted shallots and garlic. You can mash up the squash in the pan a little and then add the Worcestershire sauce, creole seasoning, white pepper, paprika, chili sauce and brown sugar. Stir to combine, and heat slowly over medium-low heat. When the mixture seems warm enough to melt the parmesan, stir it in leaving 2 pinches for garnish. Allow a few minutes for the parmesan to melt, then puree with a food processor. The mixture will be very thick. If the mixture is still warm, then serve. If it has cooled off, then warm in the pan a bit before serving. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan on each bowl and enjoy.