Winter Squash Soup With Fried Sage Leaves Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the butter and oil in a heavy - bottomed stockpot, add the onions, and cook over medium - low heat for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the pumpkin puree, butternut squash, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium - low heat for about 20 minutes, until the butternut squash is very tender. Process the mixture through the medium blade of a food mill. Return to the pot, add the half - and - half, and heat slowly. If the soup needs more flavor, add another teaspoon of salt. Serve hot with garnishes, if desired.
• Cook's Note: To serve with croutons, remove the crusts from 2 slices of white bread, cut them in 1/2-inch cubes, and saute them in 1 tablespoon of butter until browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375° F. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Brush the surfaces with oil, stuff the cavities with the garlic, and place them cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender when pressed with a finger, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the 1/4 cup oil until nearly smoking, then drop in the whole sage leaves and fry until speckled and dark, about 1 minute. Set the leaves aside on a paper towel and transfer the oil to a wide soup pot. Add the onions, chopped sage, thyme, and parsley and cook over medium heat until the onions have begun to brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Scoop the squash flesh into the pot along with any juices that have accumulated in the pan. Peel the garlic and add it to the pot along with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. If the soup becomes too thick, simply add more water to thin it out. Taste for salt.
• Depending on the type of squash you've used, the soup will be smooth or rough. Puree or pass it through a food mill if you want a more refined soup. Ladle it into bowls and distribute the cheese over the top. Garnish each bowl with the fried sage leaves, add pepper, and serve.

Steps:

• Cut the squash into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium. Add shrimp and cook until opaque throughout, 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate; cover with foil.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon butter, onion, and chopped sage; cook until onion is softened, 8 minutes. Add squash, cayenne, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, 20 minutes. Season with salt. Transfer half the mixture to a blender. Add sour cream and puree until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot along with shrimp; stir to combine. To serve, divide soup among four bowls; top with fried sage leaves, if desired.

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion; cover and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add chopped sage; stir 1 minute. Add squash and broth. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly. Puree soup in batches in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Mix in cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate.)
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sage leaves and sauté until brown and toasted, about 2 minutes.Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with fried sage leaves.

Steps:

• Cook and stir pork sausage in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until sausage is browned and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in the pot. Brown the sage leaves in the hot drippings until crisp, about 30 seconds; remove sage leaves and set aside.
• Cook butternut squash, celery, carrots, and onion in the remaining sausage drippings until the vegetables are softened, stirring only one time after about 5 minutes. Pour sherry into the pot and stir to dissolve any browned bits of food on the bottom of the pot. Pour in chicken and beef broth and stir in brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Puree soup with an immersion blender, leaving a few chunks of vegetables. Pour in half-and-half and season with black pepper. Divide soup into 4 large bowls and top each serving with 1 teaspoon sour cream, cooked sausage, and 2 fried sage leaves.