Sausage, Squash & Wild Rice Soup

• (1 1/2-2 lb) butternut squash1
• tablespoons olive oil↗2
• fresh ground black pepper↗
• cups chicken stock↗12
• cups chopped onions2 1⁄2
• cup wild rice↗1
• lb smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 in. chunks (such as kielbasa)↗3⁄4
• cups frozen corn↗2
• cups half-and-half↗1 1⁄2

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Season the squash with 1 tablespoon of oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Peel and seed the squash. In a blender, puree the squash with 2 cups of the chicken stock. Puree until smooth and set aside. (Skip this step entirely if you are using frozen squash).

2. 2

   In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring 4 cups of the stock and 1/2 cup of the chopped onions to a simmer. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally with a fork. Set aside to cool.

3. 3

   In a large soup pan over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and brown for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups onions and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the squash puree and remaining 6 cups of broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface.

5. 5

   Stir in the rice and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the cream and season to taste.