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Roasted Butternut Soup with Ghost Chile Sauce By Chef Tom Fraker Ingredients 1 (2 lbs.) Melissa's Butternut Squash -- peeled; cubed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as needed Coarse Sea Salt, to taste Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Melissa’s Maui Onion -- chopped 2 Melissa's Peeled Garlic -- chopped 1 (14.5 oz.) can Diced Tomatoes 4 Tablespoons Dry Sherry 3 each Granny Smith Apples -- peeled; diced 3 1/2 cups Chicken Broth or Stock 3 Tablespoons Pico de Gallo Seasoning For the sauce: 3 1/2 pounds Melissa’s Red Cactus Pear -- peeled 1/4 cup Water 3/4 cups Granulated Sugar 1/2 Fresh Bhut Jolokia Pepper 1/4 cup Bourbon ½ pouch or 1.5 ounces Liquid Pectin Directions Preheat oven to 425ºF. In a bowl, toss the squash with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in the oven until browned and fork tender, about 20 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes and sherry. Boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 7-8 minutes. Add the squash and apples then stir in the chicken stock or broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer to incorporate the flavors, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Puree the soup with a hand mixer being careful not to splash, as the soup will be very hot. Puree until very smooth. If the soup is too thick, add chicken stock. Stir in the pico de gallo seasoning. Place in serving bowls and garnish with the Ghost Pepper Sauce. Recipe for the sauce follows. Makes about 6 servings. For the sauce: Place the cactus pear in a pot. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Once it boils, mash the cactus pears and stir in the sugar and the peppers. Boil for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens and sticks to the back of a spoon. Next, carefully purée mixture in a blender and strain back into a clean pot. Now add the bourbon and boil for 5 minutes. Stir in the pectin and let cool. Makes about 1 1/4 cups of sauce. To customize this soup for Halloween, fill a pastry bag with some of the sauce and carefully squeeze into the shape of a ghost or your favorite Halloween character. Notes The Bhut Jolokia Pepper to be one of the hottest peppers in the world.