Buttercup Squash and Leek Soup

Here's another delicious, easy soup recipe for you. This one uses buttercup squash (different from butternut squash). The recipe comes from Boistfort. I made a half recipe, and it yielded about 4 servings. You can easily double the ingredient amounts if you want a bigger batch of soup.

I know this looks a whole lot like the Esau's Soup I posted last week, but I promise it's not the same photo.

Ingredients:
2 c. (or so) sliced leeks--white and light-green parts only
1 medium buttercup squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 c. dry white wine (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay)
3 c. chicken stock (or 3 c. water and 3 t. Better than Bouillon organic chicken base, which is what I used)
Salt, to taste (I didn't add very much)
White pepper, to taste (start small, because it can be powerful stuff)
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish (optional; I didn't use them because I didn't have any--my garden is sleeping until spring)

Put the sliced leeks, chopped squash, white wine, and chicken stock into a stock pot. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes--until the squash is tender. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes or so. Carefully purée the soup with an immersion blender (a regular blender will work too). Add salt and white pepper to taste. Garnish with chives if desired.

Comments:
This soup is smooth, thick, and delicious. We all loved it. The white pepper is a perfect touch; I don't recommend skipping it unless you absolutely can't find some.