Puree of Yellow Squash Soup

Directions

1) Cut the end off the squash, and peel if the skin looks looks suspicious in any way.

Then cut the squash into ¼ inch slices and set aside.

2) In a large saucepan or a Dutch oven begin sautéing onions and garlic in butter over medium heat.

After about 5 minutes, add squash, herbs, and salt.

Stir, cover, and continue to cook about 10 more minutes.

3) Gradually sprinkle in the flour, stirring constantly.

Continue to cook and stir over low heat about 5 minutes.

4) Pour in the white wine, stir briefly, cover, and let simmer 10 to 15 minutes.

(Note: The alcoholic content of the wine dissipates with cooking, and the taste of the wine diminishes gradually. So if you let if cook a little longer at this step, you will get a more subtle result. Just be sure to stir everything up from the bottom from time to time, so it won’t stick or scorch.)

Remove from heat, and allow the soup to cool until it’s cool enough to puree.

5) Purée the soup with the milk in a food processor or blender, and return it to a kettle.

At this point, you may choose to strain the soup through a fine strainer or a sieve to get a smoother texture.

Adjust the seasonings.

Add black pepper to taste.

6) Heat gently just before serving.

7) While the soup is heating, prepare the optional topping.

Sauté the bell pepper and garlic in olive oil or butter until just tender.

Spoon a little bit of this into each steaming bowl of soup, and sprinkle pumpkin seeds if desired.