Try this hyper-seasonal and lusciously silky soup recipe made with organic pears. It strikes all the right Autumn chords, to keep you warm, cozy and delighted throughout the holidays.

Makes 4-6 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium sized butternut squash, de-skinned, de-seeded, cut into 1-inch sized cubes
• 1 Medium sized celery root, skin removed, cut into 1- inch cubes
• 2 Medium sized pears, skin, and core removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Large onion, skin removed and thinly sliced
• 3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
• Red pepper flakes to taste
• ¼ Cup of good quality neutral oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Lemon juice or white vinegar to taste
• 5 Cups of water, plus more for thinning out soup to desired consistency
• 1 Cup of whole milk yogurt to taste
• Garam masala to taste
• Pomegranate seeds to taste

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, place the cubed butternut squash, celery root, the Warren pears, season to taste and coat them with the neutral oil. On a large sheet pan, place a sheet of parchment and spread the cubed ingredients out evenly to make sure they have enough space in-between each other so they may roast properly.  Cook until the edges and bottoms brown nicely (around 20-30 minutes.) Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy-bottomed pot, place the sliced onions, butter and season with salt. Cook at medium-high heat until the butter melts and start to sizzle. Lower the heat to low and add ½ cup of water into the pot. Place a lid on top and allow the onions to sweat for 30 to 40 minutes.  Add the roasted ingredients into the pot with 5 cups of water. Cook for 30 minutes at medium heat and season again with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add lemon juice to taste. Side aside to cool for 30 minutes. In a blender, puree the soup until you achieve desired smoothness. If the soup is too thick, add water to thin out and be sure to correct the seasoning. Place the pureed soup in a pot and bring to a low simmer.  In a small mixing bowl, add the cup of yogurt and season to taste with the garam masala and kosher salt. Mix well. 

Divide the soup into 4- 6 serving bowl and garnish with the spiced yogurt and pomegranate seeds. Serve at once.