Sucrine Du Berry + Coconut Soup with African flair

This is a hearty squash soup. This is the second time I've made it, this time using sucrine du berry squash, an heirloom variety we received in our CSA last week. Previously, I've made this soup with acorn squash but prefer the sweetness and fleshiness of the sucrine du berry squash. Not to fear though, acorn or any of the other more mild squashes would be a very good substitute. To give you an idea, the sucrine du berry squash I used was about the size of a [lumpy] rugby ball. This soup is thick, spicy, rich, and perfect for a chilly fall day. Here goes...

For about 4 servings, you'll need:

• 1 sucrine du berry squash
• 2 dried red peppers (the small kind)
• 1/2 c raw cashews
• 3 T nutritional yeast
• 2 c unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 T coconut oil
• 1 T apple cider vinegar
• 4 t berbere spice
• 2 t curry powder
• 2 T raw sugar
• salt

The steps:

1. Preheat your oven to 425.
2. Slice squash in half long ways and remove the seeds and stringy parts. Place sliced side down on a greased cookie sheet and bake until easily pierced, about 30-40 minutes. Skin will darken and begin to bubble around the edges. Let cool (I put this in the oven while I was eating lunch and let it cool until it was time to make dinner. Cook it the night before or in the morning while you're getting ready)
3. Once cool, scoop all the contents of your squash into your food processor. Add 2 dried peppers. Process until a smooth puree results. Place squash puree into a large pot, with the burner off.
4. Measure out cashews and nutritional yeast and puree in the food processor until the consistency of chunky peanut butter is achieved. Add to the pot.
5. Turn heat to low and stir to combine squash and cashews. Once combined, add the rest of the ingredients.
6. Cover and let simmer about 10 minutes. Taste it at the end and season accordingly. You may need to add a bit more coconut milk to achieve the consistency you prefer.
7. Serve and enjoy while hot.