Chef John's Velvety Butternut Squash Soup

Gather all the necessary ingredients before commencing with the recipe.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).

Begin preparing the soup by drizzling olive oil into a large roasting pan. Add sliced onions, chopped carrots, minced garlic cloves, and a generous amount of salt; mix until the vegetables are evenly coated in oil. Place squash halves onto the chopped vegetables, with their cut sides facing upwards. Sprinkle additional salt over the squash.

Roast in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour, or until the squash is tender and can be easily pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool slightly.

While the vegetables are cooling, prepare the brown butter by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam and turns golden brown, reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking until the butter reaches a light, nutty brown color; then remove from heat and immediately stir in chopped sage leaves.

Combine the cooked squash with the remaining roasted vegetables in a large stockpot. Stir in chicken broth, the brown butter mixture, and maple syrup. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and slowly simmer for 45-60 minutes, allowing flavors to meld together. Remove from heat.

Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until it is extremely smooth, taking around 3-4 minutes. Pass the mixture through a strainer to remove any remaining fibrous bits.

If the soup seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth. Stir in cider vinegar, a pinch of salt if needed, and cayenne pepper to taste.

Serve each portion with a dollop of crème fraîche and chopped chives on top.