Butternut Squash Curry Sage Soup

3 cups butternut squash mashed
3 1/2 cups chicken broth (I used turkey broth)

1 cup sweet onions, chopped 

1 Tb minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon curry powder
2-3 fresh sage leaves, minced
sea salt to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for garnish....I only had condensed milk available

Optional Garnish:  olive oil, sea salt, squash seeds (I used sunflower seeds) ground cumin, ground coriander, 9-10 whole fresh sage leaves and cream

1. If you have to start with whole butternut squash, preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Rub the butternut squash with olive oil and place it face side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast the butternut squash for 30-35 minutes, until it's tender with a fork. Remove and set aside until it's cool enough to handle.
2. Meanwhile, let's make the garnish. Rinse out the seeds, discarding any pulp. Sprinkle the seeds with a pinch of cumin, pinch of ground coriander and a pinch of salt. In a small skillet, add a teaspoon of olive oil. When hot, add the seeds, toasting them on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. To the same skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil until hot. Add sage leaves and fry until the leaves are crispy and the edges are lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. To a large pot, placed over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the spices: ground cumin, coriander, curry powder, minced sage leaves and minced garlic. Cook until the spices and garlic are fragrant, about 1 minute. Scoop out the butternut squash flesh and add it to the pot, along with the broth. Cover the pot, turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Use immersion blender or in batches, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until very smooth. Transfer the soup back to the pot and salt to taste.  Stir in the heavy cream and heat until warm. Divide the soup between bowls and garnish with butternut squash seeds and fried sage leaves.

Yield: 4 servings

based on:  http://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/curry-sage-butternut-squash-soup/