Butternut Soup With Crispy Sage Apple Croutons Food

BUTTERNUT SOUP WITH CRISPY SAGE & APPLE CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and fry for 5 mins. Add the garlic and squash, and cook for 5 mins more. Pour in the Madeira and stock, stir in the chopped sage, then cover and simmer for 20 mins until the squash is tender.
• Blitz with a hand blender or in a food processor until completely smooth. Allow to cool in the pan, then chill until ready to serve. Will keep for 2 days or freeze for 3 months. To make the crispy sage, heat some oil (a depth of about 2cm) in a small pan, then drop in the sage leaves until they are crisp - you will need to do this in batches. Drain on kitchen paper. Will keep for several hours.
• Just before serving, reheat the soup in a pan. The texture should be quite thick and velvety, but thin it with a little stock if it is too thick.
• For the apple croutons, heat the oil in a large pan, add the apple and fry until starting to soften. Sprinkle with the sugar and stir until lightly caramelised.
• To serve, ladle the soup into small bowls and top with the apple, sage and a grinding of black pepper.

BUTTERNUT SOUP WITH PARMESAN CROUTONS

Steps:

• Place squash in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan lightly coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with pepper. Toss to coat. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until tender, stirring every 15 minutes. Set aside., In a Dutch oven, saute the onion, celery and sage in remaining oil until tender. Stir in the broth and squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Cool slightly., In a blender, puree soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pan; heat through., For croutons, in a small bowl, combine the cheese, oil, sage and garlic. Add bread cubes and spritz with cooking spray; toss to coat. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray., Bake at 425° for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle each serving of soup with croutons and additional cheese if desired.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CRISPY CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut butternut squash in half from top to bottom and remove seeds from both halves.
• Place cut side down on baking sheet.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes or until flesh of squash is fully softened.
• On a low heat, saute onion in butter and oil until soft and browning.
• Add garlic and saute until fragrant and soft.
• Remove roasted squash from skin and put into soup pot.
• Add stock and bring soup to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and add seasoning and herbs.
• Simmer for 15-20 minutes and then add sour cream (if using) and blend until smooth using a hand blender or blender.
• While soup is simmering, toss bread cubes with oil and seasoning and toast in oven until golden brown.
• Serve with chopped green onion and/or croutons.

APPLE, SAGE, AND ONION SOUP WITH CHEDDAR-BACON CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions, apples, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir thoroughly to coat the onions and apples in the butter.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and apples are deeply caramelized, and the bottom of the pot is coated with a dark brown crust, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken broth, beef broth, wine, and bay leaf.
• Bring to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown crust.
• Simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler.
• Combine the cheese and bacon in a bowl and stir to distribute evenly.
• Place oven-proof soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Stir the chopped sage into the simmering broth.
• Fill each crock almost to the top with soup.
• Top each crock with 2 baguette slices and sprinkle with some of the cheese-bacon mixture.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbling and well browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Watch the soup carefully, because once the cheese is well browned it will quickly burn.
• Serve immediately.