MAKE IT CUTE

Ingredients:

Serves 6

1⁄4 cup unsalted butter

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 clove garlic, minced        

1 cup  finely chopped onion

1 tsp salt

1⁄2 tsp ground coriander

1⁄2 tsp dried thyme

Pinch  freshly ground black pepper

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1⁄2 cup orange juice          

1⁄2 cup whipping cream    

Pinch  freshly grated nutmeg

Cayenne pepper

Soft baby sage leaves (optional)

Nutmeg Cream

1⁄2 cup cold whipping cream

1⁄4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add squash, garlic and onion; sauté for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add salt, coriander, thyme and black pepper; sauté for 5 minutes. Add stock and orange juice; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

2. Using an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender in batches, purée soup until smooth. Return to the pot, if necessary. Stir in cream, nutmeg and cayenne to taste; reheat over medium heat, stirring often, until steaming. Do not let boil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper, if necessary.

3. Prepare the nutmeg cream: In a bowl, using an electric mixer, whip cream until soft peaks form. Add nutmeg and whip until well blended.

4. Ladle soup into heated bowls and top each with a dollop of nutmeg cream. Garnish with sage leaves, if desired.

Excerpted from 300 Sensational Soups by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca All rights reserved: May not be reprinted without publisher permission.

by GL | 2/1/2016