Squash Soup for Halloween

Ingredients:
1 Butternut Squash - size doesn't matter :)
Several cloves of garlic - to your taste & no need to unwrap
Butter
Maple Syrup
Vegetable or Chicken Stock
small amount of water (for roasting tin)
salt, pepper, (lemon juice - optional)

Oven: 190 C

Method:
Cut butternut squash in half (or chunks) and deseed - no need to peel it.
Place in your roasting tin, hole side up (if cut in halves), with a small amount of water in the bottom of the tin.
Add the knobs of butter, drizzle with olive oil and a good pouring of maple syrup; and season.
Add the cloves, into the water so they dont dry out, and roast for about 1/2 hr. then turn the squashes over (skin side up) - pop the cloves underneath the squash so they stay moist.
Roast Butternut Squash until going golden and the flesh is soft and well cooked through.
Baste from time to time if it's a large veg.

Squish the garlic from its wrappings, into the liquidiser.
Cool the squash slightly, then using a small sharp knife, peel and scrape the flesh from the skin - discard the skin and keep all the pan juices - pour into the liquidiser.

Use enough stock (veg or chicken) to cover the squash - plus some.
Liquidise until smooth and creamy and add enough stock to the consistency you like.
Adjust the seasoning.

This is just delicious plain, but you can add some lemon juice or a few herbs of your choice too.
Serve with a dollop of any sort of cream, or a knob of butter, and some lovely bread.

I found this pic while browsing - I'm sorry I dont know who it belongs to,
but it's a beaut!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!