Moroccan Spiced Butternut Squash Bisque Recipes

Steps:

• Heat butter and olive oil in a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add squash and potatoes, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir to coat, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add broth, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and saffron, if using. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in preserved lemon and olives. Serve over couscous garnished with cilantro, almonds, and yogurt.

Steps:

• In 3 qt saucepan, cover squash with water and cook until tender.
• Place in blender and puree.
• In the saucepan, melt butter, add onion and garlic.
• Cook until tender.
• Add pureed squash, broth, and spices.
• Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
• Add milk, heat through, stirring.

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the chilies and water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the chilies to a work surface; reserve the liquid.
• Discard the stems and seeds from the chilies.
• In a food processor or blender, combine the chilies with 4 whole garlic cloves and 1/2 cup of the liquid. Process until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat a heavy pot over medium heat. Coat the pot with nonstick cooking spray.
• Chop the remaining 4 garlic cloves and add to the pot, along with the onion, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander.
• Sauté until the onion and garlic have softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, butternut squash, and the chili puree.
• Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is just tender, about 25 minutes.
• Stir in the chickpeas with their liquid, the zucchini, dried apricots, and prunes. Simmer, uncovered, until all the squashes are tender, about 15 minutes more.
• Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve hot.

Steps:

• ROASTING: preheat oven to 450. Peel and dice squash into 1/2 inch pieces (see tip at end). Dice onion into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss squash and onion with olive oil and spread pieces onto a large flat baking pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes - add diced apple - and continue roasting another 10-20 minutes (30-40 total roasting time).
• Tip: while you are roasting, make some "cheese toasts". Put some shredded cheese on top of bread rounds (we like gruyere or parmesan). Bake 10-15 minutes until crispy. These cheese toasts are fantastic soup toppers!
• Place roasted mixture into blender with about half the chicken broth; puree (keep hand on lid because hot liquids can cause the top to "explode" off with built up steam). Add remaining chicken broth, half-and-half, and herbs; puree.
• Transfer mixture to saucepan; reheat gently.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream and croutons.
• TIP: to prepare squash, first cut squash in half horizontally. Place flat end onto cutting board to stabilize squash and use a peeler to remove skin. Remove seeds. Then cut into lengths, and then into diced pieces.
• NOTE: if you have leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving, add about 1/2 cup, which will thicken the soup and add a nice smoothness.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Cut squash in half from top to bottom and place it, cut side down, on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
• Bake until squash can be easily skewered, 50 to 60 minutes.
• With a spoon, remove seeds and discard.
• Scrape the pulp from the skin.
• Reserve the pulp and discard the skin.
• Warm the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
• Add the onions and cook until soft, 7 minutes.
• Add the paprika, cumin, turmeric, and coriander and continue to cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
• Add the squash, carrots, sugar, chicken stock, water, ½ teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until carrots are soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool for 15 minutes.
• Puree the soup in a blender in several batches for 3 minutes each batch until the soup is very smooth.
• Strain soup through a fine strainer back into pot and gently reheat.
• If the soup is too thick, add additional water.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the yogurt in a small bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
• To serve, heat the soup.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of yogurt.