Butternut Squash Soup

I don't usually post recipes unless I really think you should try them. This is one of them. We discovered this soup at a fancy restaurant back in our college days. And later made some at home. And we made some this week because we found some butternut squash (es?) for a reasonable price. But you better go out and get them now because they're almost out of season, and then you'll have to wait until next year to try this:

6 tablespoons olive oil
3 chopped onions
1 chopped clove of garlic (not the whole onion-thing)
2 butternut squash
1 large potato
1 large carrot
7 cups chicken stock
salt, pepper, thyme, parsley to taste

Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil. Add chicken stock. Add squash, potato, and carrot. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley. Cook until all the vegetables are really soft. Mash everything together and/or use a blender to get a very smooth consistency.

This is really good with fresh bread. And if you want to do it in the true Portuguese fashion, get hard bread (French bread will do), break it up in the bottom of your bowl, then add the soup.

The only thing I don't like about this recipe is that I don't know a fast way to cut up the squash. It might be helpful to cut up the squash the day before or earlier in the day. Once everything goes in the pot, it takes less than thirty minutes. It's the chopping that takes a while. And actually, it would probably help if I had a sharper knife...

And not to deter you from trying this recipe, because it was so worth it, but it seemed to dry the skin on my palms to the point that they were peeling. Weird effect. I did some research, and many people have the same reaction. The recommendation is that you wear a latex glove on the hand you are not wielding the knife with.

Also, I think you can substitute pumpkin for the squash, which is even more true to the Portuguese fashion. But I really like the taste of the butternut!