Butternut Squash Bisque with Spiced Crème Fraîche
There are many (wonderful) oddities that come along with living in Central Pennsylvania. Among them, the most puzzling is Halloween. It happened last night… yes, that’s right, on Thursday, October 28th. A few of us converged on my friends home to help pass out the candy (and given the very few ghosts and goblins that were out I’m wondering if everyone forget Halloween isn’t on Halloween here?). The moon was full, Godzilla was perched in the porch and there we sat sipping on Champagne and patiently waiting (under the full moon!) for the witching hour (8PM) when trick or treat was "officially" over. (I said it was odd!) Inside, there was a warm fire, and a potluck meal waiting for us. I contributed this marvelous Butternut Squash soup that was slated to kick off my dinner party last week – the one that ended up canceled.
Thick soup purees are marvelous – if done properly. The soup should be silky and creamy, not grainy or textured. It should be thick enough to coat your spoon, but not so thick that its more a puree than a soup. Happily, with a blender (as opposed to a food processor, which most recipes suggest) creamy, silky and smooth is effortlessly achieved. Your left over stock is the perfect thinner, if you judiciously whisk in small amounts while reheating.
Butternut Squash soup recipes are abundant. Of the best, I recommend the one published by Cooking Light, with its Apple Cider Syrup as a garnish, and the one created by Alfred Portale, found in his Twelve Seasons Cookbook. Portale embraces the sweet richness of the butternut squash with a crème fraîche swirl seasoned with allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Every aromatic breath is full of autumn, and sings of pumpkin pie. As a starter for any hearty autumn (or Thanksgiving meal!), or the perfect compliment to a seasonal salad to make a simple meal, this soup is effortless. It is warming and soulful and aromatic. It is simply marvelous!
Butternut Squash Bisque with Spiced Crème Fraîche
Adapted from Alfred Portale’s Twelve Seasons Cookbook (Broadway Books, 2000)
Copyright © 2000 by Alfred Portale
Note: The bisque and crème fraiche can be made 1 day in advance.
Serves 8
Soup:
¼ cup unsalted butter
4 pounds fresh butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced (about 8 cups)
Coarse salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste
2 shallows, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups organic chicken (low sodium) stock, plus extra to thin bisque
Spiced Crème Fraîche:
½ cup crème fraîche
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Method: Soup
In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. As the bubbles begin to subside, reduce the heat to medium and add the squash. Give it a good toss coating the squash with the clarified butter; season the squash with salt and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nicely caramelized but still firm.
When the squash is nearly cooked, heat 1 more tablespoon of butter in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until translucent. Ass the garlic, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and stir for about 1 minute more to release the aromatics in the herbs. Add the squash and the chicken stock.
Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered for about 25 minutes or until the squash is tender and loosing its shape. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme sprigs. Remove the soup pot from the heat.
Transfer the soup to a blend in small batches, and puree until silky smooth. Use care when blending hot liquids, as they will expand. (Keep the top of the blender lid partially removed. This will prevent the heat from building and forcing the lid off!) The soup is now a bisque!
Return the bisque to the soup pot or a container and cool. Refrigerate covered for up to one day.
To serve: Return the bisque to a soup pot and place over medium low heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, to enrich the bisque. Whisk in additional chicken stock to thin the bisque to the desired consistency. Ladle the bisque into small bowls and garnish each bowl with a swirl of spiced crème fraîche.
Method: Spiced Crème Fraîche
In a medium work bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, cinnamon, allspice and grated nutmeg. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, allowing flavors to meld. Whisk again before serving.
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