ingredients
directions
Preheat your oven to 400 F. Peel, seed, and roughly diced the squash. Toss the squash in the maple syrup and spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone cookie sheet. Bake the squash until slightly brown around the edges, around 20 minutes.
Chop the onions, celery, and garlic roughly and sauté them in the oil and butter for 10 minutes over medium high heat until slightly brown in color. Add the squash and white wine. Cover with the stock and place herb bundle on top just under the level of the liquid. Simmer until squash begins to fall apart (about 45 minutes).
Using a paring knife cut a small piece off the end of each sausage. “Pinch” the sausage using your fingertips and pull out the meat from the casings. Roll the loose meat into small meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium/high heat and sauté the meatballs until they are golden brown. Remove from the pan and rest on a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess grease.
To use the blender while the soup is hot you must remove the vent cap at the top and cover loosely with a towel. Hot soup will erupt out of the top if the seal is too tight. Puree soup well, adjust with seasoning, and place back into the pot. Add the cream and heat once more before serving.
To serve the soup, ladle 8 ounces into a soup plate or pasta bowl and place three or four sausage meatballs in the middle. Garnish with chopped sage or chives and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.