Hearty Pumpkin Chowder Or Butternut Squash Food

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until crispy, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and return the pan to medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bay leaf, chopped sage, the 4 teaspoons salt and the 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in the potatoes, cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.
• Add the wine and simmer, stirring to scrape up the browned bits, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
• Add the butternut squash puree and bacon and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
• Ladle the chowder into warmed bowls and garnish with sage leaves. Serve immediately.
• Making Squash Puree:.
• 2 butternut squash (about 3 3/4 pounds).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut each squash in half and discard the seeds. Bursh cut sides with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Arrange the squash cut side down on a rack placed in a baking tray and bake until tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Cool, scoop out the insides of the squash, and puree the flesh in a food processor. You should have about 4 cups or 32 ounces of pureed squash. Tip: You can freeze your squash puree to have on hand for other soups and recipes.

HEARTY VEGETABLE CHOWDER

Steps:

• Saute carrots and onions in butter.
• Add chicken broth, thyme and sage.
• Bring to a boil; add potatoes, corn and half-and-half.
• Reduce heat to mnedium and simmer 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
• Mix corn starch with sherry (add a little bit of your soup liquid in it to thin it a bit) and stir into soup.
• Add salt.
• Garnish with chives.

HEARTY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• In a stockpot, cook sausage, onion and red pepper over medium heat 9-11 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink and onion is tender, breaking up sausage into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside; discard drippings., Add squash, 1-1/2 cups corn, water and chicken base to same pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes or until squash is tender., Remove soup from heat; cool slightly. Process in batches in a blender until smooth. Return to pot. Add beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, sausage mixture and remaining corn; heat through. If desired, drizzle servings with cream and sprinkle with parsley. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary.

PUMPKIN BACON CHOWDER

Steps:

• 1. Cut up bacon (scissors are easiest). Fry in a large soup pot until crispy. Remove bacon from pan, but leave oil.
• 2. Chop onion and fry in bacon oil until soft.
• 3. Precook potato in microwave or stove top.
• 4. Add pumpkin, potato, corn, milk and mushroom soup to pot and heat through. Add more milk if you like thinner soup.
• 5. Serve and sprinkle bowls with fried bacon.

SEAFOOD CHOWDER WITH SQUASH

Steps:

• Make the chowder base. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the leek, shallot, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is softened, about 6 minutes. Add the squash, carrot, and curry powder, season with salt, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes.
• Raise the heat to medium-high, add the lemongrass, bay leaf, coconut milk, and broth, and bring to a simmer. Cook the chowder base until the squash and carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the mussels. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the wine, and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover the pot, and steam them until they just open wide, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a medium bowl. Remove the mussels from the shells; discard the shells and any mussels that haven't opened. Strain the broth into a small bowl.
• Once the squash is tender, discard the lemongrass and bay leaf. Process the chowder base in a blender until very smooth and creamy, then pass through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pot.
• Bring the chowder base to a simmer, then add the raw diced squash, potatoes, and turnips and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the radishes, shrimp, and sea bass and simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir in the mussels and red pepper. The soup's consistency should be thinner than traditional chowder-add a splash of the reserved mussel liquid, if needed. Season with a touch of salt and pepper. Serve the chowder in bowls, topped with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, the red onion, chives, and Aleppo pepper.