Spiced Butternut Squash Soup With Crab And Herb Oil Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pour a thin layer of water in a baking dish, or a cookie sheet with sides. Place the squash halves cut side down on the dish. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the flesh. Cool slightly, then remove the peel. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, leek and garlic, and saute for a few minutes, until tender. Pour the chicken broth into the pot. Add the potatoes, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until soft. Add the squash, and mash with the potatoes until chunks are small. Use an immersible hand blender to puree the soup, or transfer to a blender or food processor in batches, and puree until smooth. Return to the pot.
• Season the soup with cayenne pepper, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, salt and pepper, then stir in the sherry and half-and-half cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Ladle into bowls, and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Halve squash; discard seeds. Place squash in a 15x10x1-in. pan coated with cooking spray, cut side down. Bake until tender, 40-50 minutes. Cool slightly; scoop out pulp., In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat butter and oil over medium heat; saute onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Add brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cinnamon sticks; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in salt, squash, broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10 minutes., Discard cinnamon. Puree soup using an immersion blender. Or, cool slightly and puree soup in batches in a blender; return to pan. If desired, thin with additional water or broth; heat through. Serve with parsley. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, sage, 1 teaspoon of the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the tomatoes break up and the onions brown slightly, about 7 minutes. Add the squash and the remaining teaspoon salt, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 12 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, or with an immersion blender. Return the soup to the pot and reheat over medium heat. Stir in the vinegar. Serve the soup in warm bowls with a touch of parmesan cheese if desired.

Steps:

• Toss the crab, 2 tablespoons herbs, half each of the lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl; cover and refrigerate. Whisk the remaining lemon zest and juice with the olive oil in a separate bowl. Toss 1 tablespoon of the lemon oil with the bread cubes; season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the bread cubes until golden, about 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and fennel and cook, about 7 minutes. Stir in the wine, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 2 more minutes. Add 5 cups water and 1/2 cup herbs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Puree the soup in a blender in batches. Return to the pot, add the cream and simmer until thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons herbs; season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crab, croutons and the remaining lemon oil.