pre-heat oven to 375
CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE
Thai red curry paste adds a spicy punch.
2 2-pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeded
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped peeled apple
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste*
2 14-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons sour cream, stirred to loosen
Chopped fresh cilantro
*Available in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets and at Asian markets.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush cut side of squash with oil; place squash, cut side down, on large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. Scoop squash out into large bowl. Measure 3 cups squash (reserve any remaining squash for another use).
Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and apple; sauté 5 minutes. Add curry paste; stir 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, bay leaves, and 3 cups squash. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 1 hour. Discard bay leaves. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return to same pot. Stir in cream and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Rewarm over medium-high heat.
Divide soup among bowls. Drizzle with sour cream; sprinkle with cilantro.
Makes 6 servings.
Bon Appétit
February 2007Yes, I still plan on making dinner, even given what happened last week. I'm also throwing Sonja a dinner party on Thursday for her 20th birthday. Menu yet to be finalized.
HONEY-GINGER PINEAPPLE CREPES
Pineapple is a good finish to an Asian- or Caribbean- inspired meal. Serve the crêpes with vanilla ice cream.
Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 35 min
click photo to enlarge
For crêpes
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
For pineapple
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
20-oz can unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained well
1 1/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
Make batter:
Blendcrêpe ingredients in a blender. Chill batter while preparing pineapple.
Prepare pineapple:
Heat butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté pineapple until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer pineapple to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add ginger to skillet and sauté, stirring, 30 seconds. Add honey and juice and simmer until mixture is syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes.
Make crêpes:
While honey mixture is reducing, brush a 10-inch nonstick skillet with oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Holding skillet off heat, pour in 1/4 cup batter, immediately swirling and tilting skillet to create a thin, even layer. Return skillet to heat and cook until crêpe is golden around edges and dry in center, about 45 seconds. Flip crpe carefully and cook until golden, about 15 seconds. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, covered. Make more crêpes in same manner.
Add pineapple to honey mixture and simmer, stirring, until heated through. Spoon about ‰ cup pineapple mixture over half of 1 crêpe, then fold in half. Repeat with remaining crêpes. Pour remaining pineapple mixture over folded crêpes.
Makes 4 servings.
Gourmet