[Serves 8]

INGREDIENTS

4 oz butter

2 onions, medium julienne

2 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced into medium chunks

1 q apple juice

1 t cinnamon

1 p cream

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 T Crystal hot sauce

1 t salt

1 t pepper

1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg

METHOD

Sweat onions in butter until soft and translucent. Add diced butternut squash and cook slowly over medium heat until squash has softened and starts to break apart (do not brown). If mixture starts to brown, reduce heat and cook slowly. This process will take about 30 minutes.

When squash is soft, add apple juice and cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and gently cook until soup thickens slightly.

Finish with cinnamon, maple syrup, hot sauce, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Puree in a blender until smooth. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with croutons and lemon crème fraiche.