Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Infused With Chocolate - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
1/4 cup olive oil, or more as needed, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground Saigon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small red chile pepper, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, divided
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cups chicken stock

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rub each half of squash with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and place cut-side up on baking sheet. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper on each half. Place chocolate, garlic, chile, and maple syrup into the cavities of each half.
Bake in the preheated oven until flesh is soft and tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Scoop flesh out of 1 butternut squash half, along with cavity contents, into a blender. Add onion and 2 cups chicken stock; puree until smooth. Pour into stock pot. Scoop flesh out of remaining butternut squash half, along with cavity contents, into blender. Add remaining chicken stock; puree until smooth. Pour into stock pot.
Heat soup in stock pot over medium heat to desired temperature; add salt and ground black pepper to taste.