Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan
#11
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This Cook’s Illustrated soup is wonderful – I think the best B.nut squash soup I’ve ever made AND  with no cream or milk!! I tried to copy the recipe from C.I.’s site, but they are stinkers about sharing recipes, I guess. If anyone wants to try this version, I will type it up.
 
The garnish is Sage Pesto (which I didn’t use – I have my own pesto) and Parmesan. I would say this garnish just takes this soup to another level….as they say.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#12
  Re: Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan by cjs ([img]http://i3.photo...)
Oh yes, I would love to have this recipe!  Thanks for reviewing and offering to type it up, Jean.  It looks delicious and the no cream is a big plus.  I never thought of pairing butternut squash and pesto-- I'm intrigued.  Smile
Vicci

my cooking adventures
www.victoriasdays.blogspot.com
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#13
  Re: Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan by cjs ([img]http://i3.photo...)
will do this afternoon, Vicci. Smile
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#14
  Re: Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan by cjs ([img]http://i3.photo...)
Here you go Jean:

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH SAGE PESTO

Instead of the usual creamy, rich puréed style of butternut squash soup, we wanted a heartier version that could stand on its own as a meal. We opted to feature chunks of squash paired with creamy cannellini beans to give our soup some heft. Because the bulb portion of the squash is difficult to cut into cubes that will cook evenly, and because it naturally cooks faster than the dense neck portion, we cut the bulb into wedges, cooked them in the broth until they were soft, and then mashed them to make a "squash stock" that gave our soup base body and flavor. We then cooked the neck portion, cut into chunks, in this stock. Adding butter to the stock at the start of its simmering time allowed it to fully emulsify, giving the soup base richness and a more velvety texture. A swirl of sage pesto, which we quickly made in the food processor, lent the right bright, fresh finish.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

PESTO
1/2 cup walnuts -- toasted
2 garlic cloves -- minced
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup fresh sage leaves

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce Parmesan cheese -- grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper
SOUP
1 butternut squash  (2-2½ lbs.)
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
4 TBS. unsalted butter
1 TBS. soy sauce
1 TBS. vegetable oil
1 lb. leeks white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
1 TBS. tomato paste
2 garlic cloves -- minced
Salt and pepper
3 cans cannellini beans (15 oz.)
1 tsp. white wine vinegar

PESTO

Pulse walnuts and garlic in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses. Add parsley and sage; with processor running, slowly add oil and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to bowl, stir in Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

SOUP

Using sharp vegetable peeler or chef’s knife, remove skin and fibrous threads just below skin from squash (peel until squash is completely orange with no white flesh remaining, roughly 1/8 inch deep). Cut round bulb section off squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds; cut each half into 4 wedges.

Bring squash wedges, broth, water, butter, and soy sauce to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer vigorously until squash is very tender and starting to fall apart, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher, mash squash, still in broth, until completely broken down. Cover to keep warm; set aside.

While broth cooks, cut neck of squash into 1/3-inch pieces. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add leeks and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks have softened and tomato paste has darkened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add squash pieces, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add squash broth and bring to simmer. Partially cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Add beans and their liquid, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing pesto and extra Parmesan separately.

Web Page: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes...erience_11
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#15
  Re: Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan by cjs ([img]http://i3.photo...)
Well Piddle - how come  you could get the copy/paste to work and I can't. I subscribe and I was logged in. Dodgy

Thanks tho, Alina - SOMETHING made me drink too much wine today and I was not looking forward to typing a coherent recipe this long.... Cool The little black beans in my soup are because I only had 2 cans of cannellini beans - but I made a note, I 'll add them again.

Everyone, this soup is wonderful!! (Alina, have you made it??)

Be sure to try it with the garnish - just makes the soup.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#16
  Re: Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan by cjs ([img]http://i3.photo...)
I copied it using Recipe Fox (the mark as method) which transferred it to LC, I then fixed any format errors. I've not made it, but there is an ATK one with apples that my son in law makes that is wonderful. He made it with the help of my then 5 year old granddaughter. I'll see if he wants to make this one when I'm there starting next Friday.

You can also copy it using the select all, then copy method. There is a bit of editing to get rid of the extra stuff, so I find RF easier. The green button was red, not sure why but the manual method still worked.
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#17
  Re: Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan by cjs ([img]http://i3.photo...)
Smile Smile Smile "You can also copy it using the select all, then copy method. There is a bit of editing to get rid of the extra stuff,"

The only line I understood.....remember who you're dealing with, here, Alina. I'm so computer illiterate. But, thanks, next time I'll give this one a try.

Sounds like a road trip for you coming up - safe trip and have a great time.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#18
  Re: Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan by cjs ([img]http://i3.photo...)
"You can also copy it using the select all, then copy method. There is a bit of editing to get rid of the extra stuff,"

The only line I understood.....


Yep, Jean, I had the same thought as I read thru Alina's instructions...   Blush

Thanks to her for posting this!  My sage bush died over the hot summer, so I will have to wait to make this until I can find some sage (I think that a friend has some in her garden, but she's in Singapore for a few weeks).  Guess I could always buy some...  !!!
Vicci

my cooking adventures
www.victoriasdays.blogspot.com
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#19
  Re: Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan by cjs ([img]http://i3.photo...)
Vicci - I make lots of 'classic' pesto every summer and this is what I used for a garnish. Any pesto would work I just sprinkled a little dried sage over the soup to give the illusion and still was very, very good!
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#20
  Re: Butternut Squash Soup with Pesto & Parmesan by cjs ([img]http://i3.photo...)
What I meant Jean, is that I use the Select All from Edit and then right click to copy. Since I always have my mail program open alongside my browser, I find it easier to paste onto a pretend email. (you could also open Word, or the like). I then select all the garbage and hit Delete. I then copy it into the Capture tab on Living Cookbook and proceed. I find it easier to move things around, and edit in my mail program than in LC, but any Word like app would work. You can do this. You write cookbooks which is a lot harder.

We have a very very old huge pot that has sage, rosemary and thyme. Steve has promised to plant new ones every year for the last few, but has not. It refuses to die. This year, he did not even bring it in closer to the house, so it is under a cloth at the edge of the patio? (not sure what to call that  cement space between the family room door and the grass by the pool). The sage gets really brittle, looks dried, but comes back every year. The rosemary somehow thrives year round and the thyme almost dries but I can usually find a few live branches. This after several hard freezes this winter. If you have Trader Joe's around, they sell a pot with all three for less than $10. Those were the original plants I transferred to the bigger pot and put outside. We do the same with their basil every year.

If you do buy some you can  freeze what you don't use

Our Swiss Chard has loved this crazy weather. I'm thinking I should make and freeze some chard pesto.
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