1637 SHORT LINE DR. PARK CITY, UT 84060
PHONE: 435-649-8181
Puree of butternut squash soup with light star anise demi-glace and roasted chestnuts
- 3 ea. large yellow onion-rough chop
- 2 lg. leeks - cleaned and rough chop
- approx. 3 gallons chicken stock
- 10 ea. whole garlic cloves
- 4 cups white wine
- 6 ea. celery stalks - rough chop
- 4 lbs butternut squash - remove seeds and skin - rough chop
- 4 ea. bay leaves
Bring all of above ingredients to a boil reduce heat and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Remove bay leaves and blend on high in blender, straining each blender full through a "china cap" strainer, working "china cap" with whisk until mixture moves through back into a large pot. To thicken- in clean heavy gauge stock pot - make a roux of equal parts whole butter and flour mixed together. Cook for 4-5 minutes to cook out flour taste, stirring frequently so as not to burn roux. Pour pureed and strained butternut mixture into roux, stirring vigorously to incorporate roux and puree - no lumps - should be smooth. After soup thickens for a couple of minutes reduce flame to low to medium and stir frequently so as not to scorch the bottom of stock pot. Stir with whisk frequently. When desired thickness is achieved season to taste with salt and white pepper. to bring out intense flavor use a dash of lemon juice and white wine vinegar. Keep tasting. For good flavor use a fair amount of salt, ( I use kosher salt.) If soup is too thick, thin with chicken stock or water. Garnish with a drizzle of the star-anise demi-glace and a sprinkle of chopped roasted chestnuts. Yield: approx. 3 gallons.
Star-Anise Demi-glace
- 2 tbsp. star anise - ground in spice grinder
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef demi-glace
- 2 tbsp. Arrowroot
- salt & white pepper
- red wine vinegar
In sauce pan, reduce red wine by half and add star anise & demi-glace. With ladle, skim off all impurities. Thicken slightly with arrowroot, let arrowroot "cook out" for a few minutes until desired thickness is achieved. Season to taste with salt and pepper and red wine vinegar. Strain through chinoix.
