Savory Butternut Squash Soup

Preheat oven to 425°F (230°C). Toss squash, potato, and carrot with oil and arrange on 2 rimmed baking sheets, being sure not to overcrowd the sheets. Make a foil packet for the garlic cloves, add oil, and close up. Roast everything for 20 minutes, then remove garlic packet. Continue roasting everything else until very well browned on a couple of sides, about 40 minutes; use a spatula to turn 2 or 3 times during cooking. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, cook butter over medium-high heat until just starting to brown. Add onion and garlic, lower heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly golden, about 10 minutes; lower heat as necessary to prevent burning.

Add squash, potato, and carrot to saucepan and remove from heat. Pour 1/2 cup (120ml) stock into each baking sheet and scrape up any browned bits, then pour into saucepan. Squeeze garlic cloves out from their paper and into the soup. Add remaining stock, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf and return to medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat and simmer until vegetables are very soft, about 10 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

Using a high-powered blender, standard countertop blender or immersion blender, blend soup until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Return soup to saucepan and thin, if necessary, with additional stock until desired consistency is reached. Keep warm.

Ladle soup into warmed bowls and top with sour cream and nutmeg if using. Serve right away.