Williams Sonoma Winter Squash And Apple Bisque Recipes

Steps:

• Peel and seed the butternut squash and cut into 2-inch chunks.
• Peel and core the apples and cut into 2-inch chunks.
• In a soup pot over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
• Saute the onion and shallots until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the apples and squash and cook until nicely coated, about 3 minutes longer.
• Add the stock and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Add the thyme.
• Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Using a hand-held or standing blender, puree the soup until smooth.
• Stir in the half-and-half and season with salt and pepper.
• Reheat gently over medium-low heat.
• Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the sour cream, using a fork to swirl a zig-zagged pattern.
• [you can garnish with leaves of rosemary and thyme].

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add butternut squash and sauté until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and Sherry. Boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds. Stir in 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash it very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Puree soup in blender in batches until smooth. Return soup to same saucepan. Stir in milk and chopped thyme. Bring to simmer. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Bring soup to simmer before serving, thinning with more broth, if desired.)
• Ladle soup into bowls. Top with dollop of yogurt. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Steps:

• Halve squash and remove seeds.
• Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking dish.
• Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Turn cut sides up. Bake, covered, 20 to 25 minutes or until squash is tender.
• Scoop squash pulp out of the peel using a spoon; discard peel.
• Place pulp in batches in a blender container or food processor bowl.
• Cover and blend or process until squash is smooth, adding some of the chicken broth if the mixture is too thick.
• Stir together pureed squash and remaining chicken broth in a large saucepan.
• Stir in ginger, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Bring mixture to boiling.
• Reduce heat and stir in half-and-half or light cream.
• Heat through, but do not boil.
• If desired, garnish each serving with sour cream and thyme sprigs.

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except sour cream in 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours (or high heat setting 3 to 5 hours) or until squash is tender.
• Place one-third to one-half of the mixture at a time in blender or food processor. Cover and blend on high speed until smooth. Return mixture to cooker.
• Stir in sour cream. Cover and cook on low heat setting 15 minutes or just until soup is hot; stir.
• Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream.

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients except the sour cream in a 31/2 to 6 quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low heating 8 to 10 hours (or on a high heat setting for 3 to 5 hours) or until squash is tender.
• Place one third to one half of the mixture at a time in a blender or food processor, cover and blend on high speed until smooth. Return mixture to the slow cooker.
• Stir in the sour cream. Cover and cook on a low heat setting for 15 minutes or until the soup is hot. Stir.
• Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream or unflavoured natural yoghurt (preferably Greek yoghurt), and swirl it into the soup with the tip of a knife.
• For crunch and colour, sprinkle with poppy seeds or chopped pecans.
• If serving chilled: garnish with thin slices of Granny Smith apples and a sprinkling of finely chopped crystalised ginger.
• Chef's Notes: I made this with butternut pumpkin rather than squash, simply because that's what was available. To simplify the preparation stage, I wrapped the two halves of the butternut pumpkin I'd bought in foil and steamed them in a low oven for about an hour. The pumpkin was then easy to scoop out, and I chopped it roughly with a large spoon after I'd put it in the crockpot. I used three onions, roughly chopped, and two leeks, and instead of apple sauce, I used 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped. I also did the blending with an immersion blender. I simply removed half of the soup into a bowl, and blended each half, then returned what I'd removed to the crockpot. It smelt delicious while it was cooking, and tasted great.