Butternut Squash Soup With Spiced Crème Fraîche Food

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle over the melted butter, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Spread out in a single layer on the baking sheet, allowing space in between the cubes when possible. Roast until tender and lightly browned on the bottom, about 25 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until the shallots have softened and turned a light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, if using bacon, heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon pieces. Saute until they are cooked and crisp, then transfer them with a slotted spoon to some paper towels to drain.
• Add the cooked butternut squash to the simmering broth. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor (alternately you can run the mixture through a food mill, which offers a great kind of nubby texture, or puree right in the pot with an immersion blender). Return the pureed soup to the pot. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Add the cream and heat just until warmed through. Place the creme fraiche in a small bowl and stir with a fork make it very soft and creamy. Ladle the soup into bowls, swirl in a tablespoon of the creme fraiche, and sprinkle with some crisped bacon, if using.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CHILLI & CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Cut 1 peeled and deseeded butternut squash into large cubes, about 4cm/1½in across, then toss in a large roasting tin with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.
• Roast for 30 mins, turning once during cooking, until golden and soft.
• While the butternut squash cooks, melt 1 tbsp butter with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan, then add 2 diced onions, 1 thinly sliced garlic clove and ¾ of the 2 deseeded and finely chopped red chillies.
• Cover and cook on a very low heat for 15-20 mins until the onions are completely soft.
• Tip the butternut squash into the pan, add 850ml hot vegetable stock and 4 tbsp crème fraîche, then whizz with a stick blender until smooth. For a really silky soup, put the soup into a liquidiser and blitz it in batches.
• Return to the pan, gently reheat, then season to taste.
• Serve the soup in bowls with swirls of crème fraîche and a scattering of the remaining chopped chilli.

SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pour a thin layer of water in a baking dish, or a cookie sheet with sides. Place the squash halves cut side down on the dish. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the flesh. Cool slightly, then remove the peel. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek and garlic, and saute for a few minutes, until tender. Pour the chicken broth into the pot. Add the potatoes, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until soft. Add the squash, and mash with the potatoes until chunks are small. Use an immersible hand blender to puree the soup, or transfer to a blender or food processor in batches, and puree until smooth. Return to the pot.
• Season the soup with cayenne pepper, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, salt and pepper, then stir in the sherry and half-and-half cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Ladle into bowls, and top with a dollop of sour cream.

CHAI-SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH APPLE CREAM

Steps:

• First, make the apple cream: combine the crème fraiche, apple cider and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to combine.
• Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and cardamom.
• Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Stir in butternut squash, fennel, chicken stock and apple cider.
• Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook until the butternut squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Take from heat and let cool.
• Blend the soup in small batches until a smooth puree is obtained. Return to pot and stir in milk and salt.
• Bring soup to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more spice if desired. Serve soup with a generous drizzle of apple cream.

SPICED CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients together until smooth.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CHILI AND CREME FRAICHE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400°F.
• Cut the squash into large cubes, about 1.5in across, then toss in a large roasting tin with half the olive oil.
• Roast for 30 mins, turing once during cooking, until golden and soft.
• While the squash cooks, melt the butter wih the remaining oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions, garlic and 3/4 of the chili.
• Cover and cook on a very low heat for 15-20 mins until the onions are completely soft.
• Tip the squash into the pan, add the broth and creme fraiche then whizz with a stick blender until smooth.
• Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning according to taste.
• Serve the soup with swirls of creme fraiche and a scattering of the remaining chopped chili.