Azteca Squash Soup

I cannot find where I originally got this recipe. I searched and none of the ones I found were exactly the same. There are a LOT of recipes for this. Anyway, this is the one I used. I vouch for the fact it is very, very yummy.

1 ½ lb butternut squash halved and seeded
1 T olive oil
1 ¾ c chopped onion
1 c chopped celery
2 garlic cloves chopped
6 c vegetable broth [I used less for a thicker stew-like soup]
1 t cumin
1 c canned black beans rinsed drained
1 c frozen corn
1 c chopped red bell pepper
¼ c chopped cilantro
1 t chopped thyme
1 t minced Serrano chili
plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Cover baking sheet with foil and oil. Sprinkle cut halves of squash with salt and pepper. Arrange, cut side down on sheet. Roast squash until tender, about 1 ½ hr. Turn squash cut side up and cool. Scoop out flesh

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, sauté 10 minutes. Mix in celery, garlic and add 1 c broth. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add squash, 5 c broth and cumin. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Puree squash soup until smooth. [I used a hand blender/kitchen wand right in the pot, makes it so easy and no mess to clean up]. Thin soup to desired consistency with more broth. [note: I didn’t thin my soup. It was of a fairly thick consistency, which I liked a lot]

Add beans, corn, pepper cilantro, thyme and Serrano. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper. Serve with dollop of yogurt or sour cream if desired.