Butternut Squash Soup

During the Winter, I love to make soup. I’ll put it together on Sunday evening and enjoy it for lunch or dinner all week long. Sometimes I’ll end up bringing dinner to a friend’s house and the occasions where I have a pot of soup in my fridge have been wonderful. A tupperware of soup is easy to transport and quick to reheat on the stove. This is a pretty basic butternut squash soup recipe with the addition of pimenton, smoked Spanish paprika, providing a delicate smokiness. I’m obsessed with croutons, so I topped the soup with a couple bites of toasted bread, but it’s equally delicious on its own.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup shallots, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups butternut squash, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1 quart chicken stock
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)
1/2 cup milk
Croutons, for serving, optional

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the squash and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the wine and simmer until the wine is reduced, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the chicken stock, rosemary sprig, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 12 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
5. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it’s completely smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and puree in batches; return the smooth soup to the pot.
6. Add the pimenton and milk and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings adding more salt, pepper, or pimenton. Ladle into bowls, top with croutons, if using, and enjoy immediately.

Serves 6.

Fall Pizza

When I’m creating recipes, I’m incredibly inspired by the seasons. I enjoy cooking with produce that is at its peak because it tastes better and is more affordable. I love to page through cookbooks that are sorted by season and see how other chefs are influenced by the earth’s changes. Next week we officially kick into winter, so I have to share the recipe for my pizza that highlights fall’s flavors before it’s too late!

This savory pie is topped with roasted squash, caramelized onions, and sautéed kale. Serve with mixed greens and a glass of fruity red wine and you’ve got an easy, but scrumptious dinner. Of course, this pizza doesn’t have to be only eaten in the fall, it will also be amazing in winter as the main ingredients are still in season.

I normally make pizza on weeknights and therefore always use dough that I’ve picked up from the market. Sometimes store bought dough can be too elastic at first, so give it a few kneads before rolling it out. Although I don’t have a pizza stone or special pizza oven, I’ve found you can make a deliciously crisp pizza crust by rolling the dough as thinly as possible and placing it on a baking sheet that’s been preheating with the oven at 500°F.

Fall Pizza

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, chopped
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
5 large leaves of dinosaur kale, stems removed and discarded, chopped into 1-inch chunks
Freshly grated nutmeg, optional
Red pepper flakes, optional
1 store bought pizza dough
2 cups grated fontina cheese
3 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1 cup roasted squash with sage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Oil a large cookie sheet and place in the oven.
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is browned and starting to crisp, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the onion and turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until the onion is just beginning to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes.
4. Add the kale in handfuls and stir into the onion and pancetta mixture until it’s just wilted, but still nice and green, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and season generously with freshly grated nutmeg and red pepper flakes, if desired.
5. Meanwhile, roll out the pizza dough to be a large square that will fit inside the cookie sheet.
6. With a pot holder, remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Working quickly, place the rolled-out pizza dough on top of the pan. It will start to sizzle; this is okay.
7. Sprinkle the fontina and goat cheese evenly over the top of the dough. Top with the roasted sage and the onion, pancetta, and kale mixture being careful to evenly distribute all of the vegetables. You want each bite to have some of the goodies.
8. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle the parmesan evenly over the top of the pizza.
9. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the dough is crispy, the cheese is melted and starting to brown, and the vegetables are caramelized. Transfer to a cutting board or serving platter. Let rest for a minute before cutting, then enjoy immediately.

Makes 1 pizza.

Roasted Squash with Sage

Every year when the seasons change from summer to fall, I can’t help but get a little depressed. And every year, there’s only one thing that makes me feel better: cooking fall foods. Apples, pears, and root vegetables are essential ingredients, but nothing screams November more than the sweet mellow flavor of butternut squash.

I like to cut the squash into bite-sized pieces then roast it with herbs and olive oil until it’s soft and tender. As is, the roasted butternut squash is an excellent side dish to a rustic meal, like roast chicken, but the cooked squash is also a great addition to many other dishes.

Use it to top pizza, stir into pasta and rice, or toss with mixed greens, goat cheese, and walnuts for a scrumptious salad. Don’t be afraid to get creative. I once made an incredibly tasty fontina and butternut squash frittata.

Roasted Squash with Sage

1 small butternut or acorn squash
1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
3 small cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Slice the stem off the top of the squash. Rotate and slice off the bottom stem. With a strong vegetable peeler, peel and discard the squash’s skin.
3. Cut the squash in half lengthwise down the middle. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Slice the flesh into bite-sized pieces (about 1/4-inch dice) and place on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
4. Sprinkle the sage and garlic liberally over the top of the squash. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss the squash to coat with the sage, oil, salt, and pepper.
5. Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 16-20 minutes until the squash is soft and tender, but not mushy.

Makes about 2 cups. 

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or sage, (optional)
Honey or maple syrup, for drizzling (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Slice the stem off of the top of the squash and remove the bottom. With a strong vegetable peeler, remove and discard the squash’s skin.
3. Cut the squash in half down the middle. Remove and discard the seeds.
4. Slice the flesh into 1/4-inch dice and place on a baking sheet lined with foil.
5. Liberally drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. If desired, sprinkle with the herbs and drizzle with the honey or syrup. Toss to combine.
6. If using the squash for a salad, roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes (tossing once to rotate) until the squash is tender. If you plan on pureeing the squash, roast for 40-50 minutes until its very soft and beginning to brown.

Depending on the size of your squash, you should have 2-3 cups.