Gingered Acorn Squash Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 large acorn squash (3 lbs. each)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons grated fresh gingerroot
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced (2 cups)
3 1/2 cups vegetarian chicken broth or 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth, boiling
1/2 cup enriched soymilk or 1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup mellow white miso
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon garlic granules
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 dash nutmeg

Preparation

Cut the acorn squash in half, crosswise.
Scoop out seeds and discard.
Place cut side down in 9 x13 baking pans (you will need two) and add about one inch of water.
Bake for an hour.
Remove from pans and set aside to cool.
If the squash are rather small, it might take as many as five squash to make the required six pounds.
Simply quarter some of the smaller squash to fit the baking pans.
Warm the oil and crushed pepper in a five-quart saucepan, over medium-high heat for one minute.
Add the garlic, onion, and ginger.
Cook for three minutes, add potatoes and cook mixture, stirring frequently for five minutes or until the potatoes soften.
Add boiling broth and reduce heat to medium low.
Scoop cooked squash (about eight cups) into a large bowl and mash lightly before adding to the pot.
Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove soup to food processor in batches, adding some soymilk to each batch.
Return the puree to the soup pot.
Place miso in a small bowl, add the sherry, and blend with a fork or small whisk.
Add to the soup with the garlic, ginger, and nutmeg.
Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Do not boil.
(Soup may be thinned with additional broth.) Sprinkle with a light dusting of nutmeg.
Enjoy!
Yield: 8 servings.