Sweet and Spicy Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Sage and Pumpkin Seed Garnish

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Cut the squash crosswise into four wheels and coat any exposed surfaces lightly with the peanut oil. Place the sections on a baking sheet and roast until the flesh is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the squash. Allow to cool slightly.

With a spoon, scrape out the seeds and then scoop the flesh from the skin. Place the bright orange flesh in a food processor and puree until smooth. (You may do this step up to two days ahead and refrigerate the puree until you are ready to prepare the soup.)

In a heavy soup pot, sauté the garlic and ginger in about 3 tablespoons peanut oil for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the curry paste and stir to blend.

Add the squash puree, broth, chili sauce, soy sauce, nut butter and black pepper and bring the soup to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, the cilantro and lime.

For Crispy Sage and Pumpkin Seed Garnish

In a small sauté pan, add enough oil to create a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until you see some movement on the surface. Fry the sage leaves, a few at a time, until crisp. Watch them carefully to make sure they don’t burn. Remove them to paper towels to drain.

Ladle the soup into individual bowls. Pour a swirl of coconut milk into each serving and scatter the crispy sage leaves and toasted pumpkin seeds on top.