Butternut Squash With Anise Food

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH STAR ANISE AND GINGER SHRIMP

Steps:

• Toss shrimp with ginger in a bowl and marinate, chilled, 30 minutes (do not marinate any longer or enzymes from ginger will begin to cook shrimp).
• Make soup while shrimp marinate:
• Cook shallot, garlic, and anise in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash, stock, and water and simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove star anise.
• Purée soup in 2 batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) until very smooth, about 1 minute per batch, then transfer to cleaned pan and keep warm, covered.
• Sprinkle marinated shrimp with salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shrimp in 2 batches, stirring, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per batch, transferring to paper towels.
• Bring soup to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Divide among 8 shallow soup bowls and mound 3 shrimp in each bowl.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH ANISE

Steps:

• Cook squash in water to cover until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Combine squash with butter and anise and process with steel blade of food processor or in blender to make a puree. Reheat if necessary.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH STAR ANISE AND GINGER SHRIMP

Steps:

• Toss shrimp with ginger in a bowl and marinate, chilled, 30 minutes.
• Cook shallot, garlic, and anise in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add squash, stock, and water and simmer uncovered until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
• Remove star anise.
• Puree soup in 2 batches in a blender until smooth, about1 minute per batch, then transfer to cleaned pan and keep warm, covered.
• Sprinkle shrimp with salt.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shrimp in 2 batches, stirring until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per batch, transferring to paper towels.
• Bring soup to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.
• Divide among 8 bowls and mound 3 shrimp in each bowl.
• Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

BAKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease/spray a 2-qt baking dish.
• Place squash cubes into a buttered 2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper, cardomom, (optional aniseed), and brown sugar. Drizzle the melted butter and lemon juice over the top; toss to coat well.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350* oven for about 30-40 minutes or until squash is to desired tenderness.

ANISE-SPICED SQUASH SOUP WITH FENNEL CHIPS

Steps:

• Make soup:
• Cook fennel, squash, onion, and anise seeds in butter in a 6- to 8-quart pot over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Add water and simmer, covered, until squash is very tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Purée soup in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) and season with salt and pepper.
• Make fennel chips:
• Preheat oven to 225°F.
• Boil water and sugar in a small saucepan, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Cut fennel bulb lengthwise into paper-thin slices using a mandoline or other manual slicer. Pour sugar mixture over fennel in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes.
• Put Silpat or Exopat pad on a baking sheet. Shake off excess liquid from fennel slices and arrange on pad in 1 layer (don't let slices touch). Bake in middle of oven 1 hour, or until dry and crisp. Working quickly, carefully peel chips off liner and transfer to a rack to cool. Top soup with chips.
• *Available at bakeware shops and by mail order from Bridge Kitchenware, (800) 274-3435 or (212) 838-1901