Roasted Squash Soup with Cumin

Here's another soup recipe from The Essential New York Times Cookbook.

So many butternut squash soups overdo the sweetness. This one trots it out but keeps it under tight reight with cumin, vinegar, and cayenne - and salty cumin-scented squash seeds for added emphasis.

1 large buttternut squash (about 3 pounds/1.3 kilos)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar (or wine vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 1 large and 1 small baking sheet with aluminum foil. With a large knife, split the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and reserve the seeds. Brush the cut sides of the squash with 2 teaspoons of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on the large baking sheet and roast until very tender, 35-45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, remove any orange fibers from the seeds and rinse the seeds under cold running water. Drain and place on paper towels to dry.
3. Toss the seeds with the remaining teaspoon of oil and 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and season with salt. Spread on the small baking sheet and roast along with the squash, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
4. Scoop the flesh from the squash shells and place in a pot. Add the chicken broth, garlic, vinegar, sugar, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
5. Working in small batches, transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, stir in the cream, and bring just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with the squash seeds.

Serves 4-6.