Two of my favorite fall season crops are fennel and pumpkin ––Japanese pumpkin to be exact, more commonly known as kabocha squash. It is the perfect autumn comfort food and pairs seamlessly with anise-tinged and digestion soothing fennel. In this creamy and decadent soup, I roast the fennel, garlic, apple, and pumpkin to enhance their naturally occurring sweetness.

Makes: Approximately 6 servings

Time:  45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium Japanese pumpkin

2 tablespoons coconut oil

3 garlic cloves (leave in skin)

1 medium semi-sweet apple, (such as Fuji or gala), rough chopped

1 large fennel bulb, white part only, cut into 1/2 in thick slices

8 fresh thyme sprigs, small leaves zipped off

4 cups veg stock

1 cup water

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Garnishes: goji berries, fennel fronds, toasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin oil

Preparation:

1.  Preheat oven to 450°F.

2.  Place whole squash on a baking sheet and position on middle rack of oven.

3.  Toss garlic, apple, and fennel slices with coconut oil. Turn out to a 9 x13-baking dish.

4.  Roast all ingredients for thirty minutes. Remove from oven, and when squash is cool enough to touch, cut in half, scoop out and discard seeds, and then scoop flesh into a large soup pot.

5.  Remove skins from garlic and add whole cloves to pot along with the roasted apple and fennel.

6.  Add the thyme leaves, vegetable stock, water, sea salt, and black pepper. Slowly bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce to low and simmer for ten minutes.

7.  Transfer soup to a high-speed blender, vent lid slightly, and cover with a kitchen towel to avoid splatter.

8.  Blend on high for one minute. Return blended soup to cleaned pot, season with salt and pepper and serve topped with desired garnishes.