Ingredients

Squash

shallots or onions

salt + pepper - you can also toss in smoked paprika, cumin, ground cloves, old bay, cinnamon.

Beef broth - If you only have chicken or veggie stock, use that.

Some fat - Olive oil, butter, bacon fat, vegetable oil

Hand blender. Or any blender.

Procedure

• Cut the squash lengthwise.

- Be careful. Lop it into smaller pieces if you need to.

• Coat all over with olive oil salt, pepper, and whatever else your heart desires. I have been told to also drizzle maple syrup, which I didn’t have. If you have it, drizzle it. You can also use honey or I bet hot honey would be great
• Place face down on a baking sheet into a 450 degree oven. Yes, preheat it.

• After 20 minutes heat up melt butter or bacon fat or oil in a pot.
• Toss in a diced or minced or grated shallot or onion If you want to experiment you can add a minced glove of garlic maybe a little grated fresh ginger.
• Check the squash, can you push a fork or knife in with no resistance? It’s ready.

• Pull the skins off the squash, if you are careful you should be able to pluck it right off with tongs or scoop it right out with a spoon.
• Slowly add broth until it has the texture of undercooked scrambled eggs
• Use the hand blender until you have a smooth consistency. It should be pretty thick, but keep the vents from the blender beneath the surface or you will splatter it.
• Once you have a smooth texture, slowly add broth until you have the texture you like. It will thicken up when it cools but once again follow your heart on this one.

    Context: I had about 2 to 3 cups of mashed squash and used about 3/4th of a carton of broth.

• Salt to taste and cracked pepper. Serve with a chunk of stale bread. Or fresh bread. or no bread.