Chef Ira brought me a big bag of ginger, and I found something wonderful to make with it. The color of autumn, it’s made with butternut squash and nutmeg, which is why I decided to call it “butternutmeg” squash soup. Take some to work for lunch, try a bowl for breakfast, or start dinner with a cupful. It also makes a beautiful addition to a special celebration. You can enjoy this recipe any time!

4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 stalks of celery, sliced thinly
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed (approx 1-inch)
3-4 garlic cloves
2-inch knob of fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced as thinly as possible
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup brown rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Add the olive oil to the bottom of the crockpot (or soup pot). Layer in the onion, celery, and squash. Add the garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle the rice on top, and then pour in the wine and stock along the inside edge of the pot, trying not to disturb anything. Set your crockpot on low and allow to cook for 8 hours. If you are using a soup pot in the oven, increase the liquid by 2 cups to a total of 6 cups, set the temp to 225F, and check the water level in about 4 hours, at the halfway point.

Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to each bowl of soup just before serving, and hearty appetite!