Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

I know it's been over a week since we last posted a soup. But I just couldn't figure out what on earth to do with this butternut squash that I bought last week.

See, every year when winter squash come into season I gravitate towards it at the grocery store. I always want to make something new with it, something different, something exotic. But then I assume that it will take way too long to cook, or that if I try to cut into it I might lose a finger, or that it will be more trouble than it's worth. But of course I always buy one anyway. I love a challenge!

Butternut squash has a really thick skin that I find difficult to peel, so I figured the easiest way to deal with this sucker was to leave the skin on, cut it in quarters, de-seed it, season it and chuck it in the oven. It took awhile to cook but I was able to leave it alone and check on it once in a while until it was tender. After peeling the skin away from the flesh, I put it in the fridge and made the soup with it the next day.

What about the exotic part, you ask? Now, I think that squash can be pretty bland on it's own. But a little curry powder changes everything! And since I like a little sweet with my spicy, I throw in a pear to sweeten things up (a little trick I learned from a favorite vegetarian cookbook author of mine named Anna Thomas.)

Since all the "hard" work was done the night before, the rest of the soup only took about 20 minutes to prepare! If you like soup a little bit spicy and a little bit sweet, this one's a keeper!

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup
Serves 4-6

1 medium-sized butternut squash
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 bartlett pear, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp powdered ginger (try fresh if you have it!)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 good turns on the black pepper mill
salt to taste
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
cilantro for garnish

1. Quarter and seed the squash and rub with olive oil, salt and pepper then roast at 400 degrees until soft, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool and scoop out the flesh. (You can do this up to 3 days ahead of time.)

2. Saute the onion and pear until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add the curry, cinnamon, and ginger and let them toast for a minute, then add the squash. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and let it all simmer for another 10 minutes.

3. Puree the soup with an immersion blender (my preferred method) or in a blender (but be careful to do it in small batches...splattering liquids are HOT!) Add the cream and stir.

4. Feel free to garnish with cilantro and a little more cream.

Enough with the turkey

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know. Everybody’s busy making or eating turkey soup now that Thanksgiving’s come and gone. We’ve been eating, sleeping, and dreaming turkey ourselves, so blogging it would be overkill. Maybe next week. Maybe next year. But we at the Gracious Bowl like to mix it up. That’s why we’ve given turkey the boot, so we can make way for pears. That’s right--PEARS! Stay tuned for Margaret’s upcoming post!

Sweet Potato Chowder

Outside the leaves are swirling around us with reds, yellows, oranges, and browns. There's even a hint of green still left on a tree or two. So, I thought I would share the perfect recipe to take those beautiful autumn colors and bring them into your kitchen. This week, we're eating sweet potato chowder.

But wait! What exactly is the difference between soup and chowder, you ask. Good question.

Chowder comes from the French word "chaudiere" meaning cauldron and is a form of soup traditionally associated with fish or seafood. My sweet potato version, however, contains neither. This dish falls under the more flexible definition of chowder as a thick soup made from potatoes, milk and other vegetables that remain evident after being added into the pot.

We will certainly get to seafood chowders at some point, but for now, this recipe serves as a great excuse to catch the local farmer's market one last time before the end of the season. If you stick to my version, you'll be looking for sweet potatoes, red peppers, onions, and sweet corn. If you decide to improvise, you can certainly add leeks, carrots, other kinds of peppers, or whatever the market offers and your stomach desires. Just be sure to write and tell us about it!

The bottom line is that this chowder will fill your belly. It is hearty and nourishing. Don't use it as a starter or an appetizer. This recipe is worthy of being the main event. Cheese and cilantro quesadillas on the side for dunking are even better.

If you have the time, this is a soup that's even better the day after it's made, when all the flavors have had a chance to mingle together. Make it one night for dinner and take the rest to work for the lunch the following day.

Depending on the type of cheese you get for the quesadillas, this meal will cost you about $21-25 or roughly $5-6 a person.

Sweet Potato Chowder
4-6 servings

1/2 lb bacon, cut into small pieces or 1/8 c melted butter (I prefer it peppered)
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 sweet red pepper, diced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
4-5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 (14 oz) bags of frozen sweet corn (or 7 ears corn, yielding about 3-4 cups, cut off the cob)
1 cup of milk (I use skim, but low-fat, whole, or cream could be used if you prefer)
1/2 tsp salt
chopped cilantro (for that hint of green)

1. Cook the bacon in a large stockpot over medium heat until it begins to crisp. If you prefer your bacon a little softer, that's fine too. Spoon off the bacon fat, but leave a thin layer.

2. Add the diced pepper and onion to the bacon and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft. Add the potatoes and chicken broth and simmer, covered for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

3. Stir in the corn, milk, and salt. Heat through, about 5-10 minutes.

4. Serve with quesadillas (below) and garnish with cilantro.

Cheese/Cilantro Quesadillas
for dipping and dunking in chowder

8 flour tortillas
butter
remaining cilantro
1 cup shredded cheese (I used manchego cheese this time, but I've also used Monterey Jack, a sharp cheddar, or cabrales in the past)

1. Melt a pat of butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Take a single tortilla and sprinkle it with shredded cheese and a touch of chopped cilantro. Top it with another tortilla, creating a quesadilla.

2. Place the quesadilla in the pan of melted butter and toast on one-side (about 2-3 mins), then flip and toast on the other side until it's a golden color.

3. Repeat 3 more times, keeping toasted quesadillas warm in the oven until ready to serve. Cut into wedges and enjoy alongside chowder for dipping!

*For our vegetarian readers, we've noted that the bacon/grease can be substituted with about 1/8 cup of melted butter. Vegetarian broth can also be used instead of chicken broth.

Adapted from the Sara's Secrets recipe.

Parlez-vous French Onion Soup?

It's November. A chilly afternoon. The wind is blowing leaves around. To me, this means one thing: it's time for soup. But not just any soup--I have a serious urge for my favorite French classic--French Onion Soup with ooey-gooey melted Gruyère cheese crostini on top

Gruyère, the main ingredient in any good fondue, is nutty, spicy and earthy with a bit of savory sweetness. Made from raw whole cow's milk, this stuff melts perfectly and tastes amazing. Don't substitute some silly supermarket "Swiss" for this soup. The Gruyère is the star of the show here so do not skimp on the cheese!

Total cost for this amazing classic soup? About $18. Yes, we're talking 3 bucks per person, which means it's time to have friends over for lunch and enjoy.

French Onion Soup with Gruyere Crostini
(Soup a l’oignon Gratinee)
Serves 6

6 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
7 medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp. sugar
Salt
1 tbsp. flour
8 cups beef stock
2 cups dray white wine
Freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette
1 lb. Gruyere, shredded

1. Melt 3 tbsp. of the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, uncover, add sugar, and season to taste with salt. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Add about 2 cups of stock and stir to blend, then add remaining 6 cups of stock and the wine. Salt and pepper and simmer for about 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, cut 8 thick slices from the baguette. Butter both sides of bread with remaining 3 tbsp. of butter. Put on baking sheet, toast in the oven, turning once, until golden brown on both sides.

4. Place a slice of toast in the bottom of each of eight ovenproof bowls (or however many you’re serving), then fill the bowls with onion soup. Sprinkle a thick layer of cheese on top of the soup. Set bowls into two baking pans, put in the oven, and bake until cheese is golden and soup is bubbling, 10-15 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Saveur Magazine Sept/Oct 1999