Sweet and spiced winter squash soup

• 3 medium winter squashes (e.g., acorn or butternut)
• 1/2 cup minced onions/shallots
• 3 tablespoons minced ginger
• 3 leeks (slice off the bottom and top tough leaves then slice lengthwise and rinse fully to clean) sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch strips
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon tumeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice squash in half lengthwise and put face down on lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, until squash is very soft.

Heat olive oil to medium-low in a shallow pan. Add onions and ginger to heated oil and cook slowly until they get soft. Add spices and salt and pepper and stir for 2-3 minutes, until they become aromatic. Add sherry vinegar to pan to deglaze spices and onion bits stuck to the bottom. Set aside.

Once squash are cooked, let them cool until you can handle them. Remove seeds and discard (or eat!) and then remove flesh into a soup pot. Add orange juice and water. Heat on medium for a few minutes until combined, then blend squash mixture. Add onion mixture to squash and combine fully.

Add additional water, either while cooking or during reheating, if the soup is too thick. Top with goat cheese for a special treat.