Roasted Butternut Soup with Goat Cheese Toasts

Ingredients

• 1  bay leaf 
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 6 ounce bread baguette french
• 2.5 pound butternut squash 
• 1 tablespoon chives fresh finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh chopped
• 2 teaspoons sage fresh chopped
• 3  garlic cloves minced
• 2 ounces goat cheese crumbled
• 2 teaspoons honey 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil extra-virgin
• 1.5 cups onion chopped
• 0.8 teaspoon salt 
• 6 cups roasted vegetable stock 
• 2 cups yukon gold potatoes peeled coarsely chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• oven
• blender
• aluminum foil
• broiler
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 40
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds.
3. Place squash, cut sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until tender. Cool. Discard peel; mash pulp.
5. Preheat broiler.
6. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
7. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.
8. Add onion; saut 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Add garlic; saut 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
10. Add squash, Roasted Vegetable Stock, and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally.
11. Let stand 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
12. Place bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until toasted.
13. Sprinkle about 4 teaspoons cheese on each slice; sprinkle evenly with chives.
14. Place one-third of vegetable mixture in a blender.
15. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender.
16. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth.
17. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining squash mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan; cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in parsley and honey.
18. Serve with toasts.