Golden Pear Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Peel, halve and core the pears. In a large bowl, toss pears with lemon juice to prevent oxidization. Melt butter in an ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat, let cook until butter begins to brown. Add sage to butter, allow to caramelize. Add brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Add pears to mixture, and roll them around to coat thoroughly.
• Broil pears in skillet, stirring occasionally, until pears are light brown, about 15 minutes.
• Puree pears and brown butter mixture in a blender until smooth. Pour into room temperature soup plates and serve with Blue Cheese Bruschetta. If preparing ahead of time, refrigerate and reheat slightly before serving.
• Preheat broiler.
• Slice loaf into finger-wide slices. Cover each slice with butter, then top with blue cheese. Place bread on cookie sheet and broil, with the door open, until the cheese begins to melt, about 30 seconds.
• Yield: 5 to 8 servings

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat; saute onion and garlic until tender, 7-9 minutes. Stir in flour and paprika until blended; cook and stir 2 minutes. Gradually stir in broth. Add chopped pears; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until pears are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally., Puree soup using an immersion blender or cool slightly and puree soup in batches in a blender; return to pan. Add cheese and pepper; cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes. If desired, top with pear slices.

Steps:

• Bring stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Add saffron; stir to dissolve. Turn off heat; let infuse while proceeding.
• Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add celery and bell peppers; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Add wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated. Add infused chicken stock, salt, and cumin. Bring to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.
• Let soup cool slightly; puree, in batches if necessary, in a food processor or blender (do not fill blender more than halfway). Return to clean saucepan; stir in half-and-half or milk, and then reheat gently (do not boil; the mixture will curdle). Season with black pepper and cayenne to taste. Serve hot or chilled, garnished with sour cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degres. Line a baking pan with foil and slick it with canola oil. Split the squash in half lengthwise, remove and discard seeds, and place halves cut side down on prepared tray. Bake for 35 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove from oven, cool until comfortable to handle, then scoop out flesh and cut or break it into 2-inch pieces. Peel and core pears and cut into thin slices. Place a soup pot over medium heat for about a minute, then add 1 tablespoon butter. When it is melted, swirl to coat pan, then add pear slices and cinnamon. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently and adding remaining butter if pears start to stick. Add 1/4 cup wine and turn down heat. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add squash, 4 cups water and salt and bring to a boil. Return heat to a simmer, cover pot and cook for another 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender. Heat very gently. Drizzle in half-and-half or milk, adding the extra tablespoon of wine as it heats. Season to taste with a small amount of white pepper and serve hot, topped with a touch of creme fraiche and a sprig of fresh mint, if desired.