Serves: 12 to 15
Ingredients:
1 ea. Butternut Squash (peeled, seeded, and diced in 1 inch cubes)
3 ea. Shallot (small diced)
3 ea. Garlic cloves (minced)
1 ea. Celery stalk (small diced)
1 ea. Leek (medium chop)
1/4 lb. Unsalted Butter
2 ½ qts. Heavy cream
1 cup Tupelo honey
Salt and white pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Place butternut, shallots, garlic, celery, leeks, and butter in a sauce pot on medium heat.
Sweat vegetables until fork tender, then add heavy cream. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes or until tender.
2. Puree soup with hand mixer or blender.
3. Add honey, salt, and white pepper.
4. Taste, strain and serve.
Suggested Garnishes:
Cayenne Pepitas: Remove all seeds from the squash and rinse well. In a mixing bowl toss the pepitas with a little olive oil, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and salt. Place them on a baking sheet and oven roast them at 250 degrees for about one hour or till light golden brown.Sprinkle your soup with the pepitas.
Cayenne Popcorn: Make plain popcorn (enough to garnish your soup). Melt whole butter and add cayenne pepper to taste. Toss the popcorn in the cayenne butter and sprinkle over the soup.
Cayenne Crème Fraîche: Take equal parts of butter, milk and sour cream, whisk them together in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper to taste. Drop a dollop of the cayenne crème fraîche on the soup.
