Butternut Squash-Leek Soup

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 4 cups butternut squash cubed peeled () ( 1 medium)
• 2 cups less-sodium chicken broth fat-free
• 1  garlic head whole
• 6 cups leek thinly sliced ( 4 large)
• 4 teaspoons olive oil 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• oven
• blender
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 35
2. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap head in foil.
3. Bake at 350 for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.
4. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
5. Add leek; saut 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic, squash, 2 cups water, broth, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until squash is tender.
6. Place half of squash mixture in a blender.
7. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender.
8. Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth.
9. Pour pureed soup into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture.
10. Wine note: The creamy texture of the pureed soup matches well with a plump but crisp Chardonnay like J.J. Vincent Bourgogne Blanc ($15). It's suitably rich, round, and fruity, with gently buttery flavors and good acidity to balance the natural sweetness of the squash. -Jeffery Lindenmuth