velvety roasted butternut squash bisque

Winter squash season is here! From October through March I eat LOTS of butternut squash. I use it in place of an english muffin for eggs benedict, diced and roasted with sea salt and olive oil, in savory tarts, blended with creamy cheese on top of toast, risotto and especially, bisque. Creamy squash bisque is warm, comforting and so delicious. It's so easy to make too. This soup can be made ahead and it gets better after sitting for a day or two. Use this recipe to serve a crowd or keep it in the fridge to eat throughout the week. It freezes well too! It's very filling and rich in fiber and nutrients, especially vitamin A and C.

Serves 6-10

You'll need:

A blender or food processor

A large saucepan or stockpot (8 quarts)

About 4 pounds of butternut squash

sea salt

black pepper

1 cup of half and half

2-3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

2 tablespoons of butter

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

a handful of sage leaves, torn into small pieces, a few whole leaves reserved for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°.  Slice squash in half or into quarters and spray or rub with oil. Bake for 45 minutes or until flesh is tender and pierced easily with a fork. Wait until cool enough to handle and then discard the seeds and gooey pulp from the center. Scoop the flesh from skin into stockpot. Add in 2 cups of broth. Working in batches add squash and broth into blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If mixture is too thick add in more broth. Remember, you'll be adding in another cup of liquid later. Add blended mixture back into stockpot. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add in butter. Add in onions and a dash of salt and cook (stirring often) until softened, about 4 minutes. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add in cinnamon, cayenne, and sage and cook for one minute more. Transfer onion mixture to blender and add in about a cup of the pureed squash. Blend until smooth and then add to pot. Simmer on medium heat until warm, add in salt and pepper to taste. Finally, add in the half and half and return to a simmer. Serve hot with crusty bread and a sage leaf on top for garnish.

summer sweet bi-color corn with carmelized onion, soft goat cheese and thyme

When I go to the market and select my produce I often don't have a particular idea in mind of what exactly I'll do with the vegetable. Last weekend I just grabbed some corn because it's wonderful and it's at its peak right now. I don't eat a lot of corn but I do appreciate the simplicity of a single ear boiled or grilled and veiled in salty butter or mayonnaise with a sprinkling of cayenne and paprika. I decided to make a warm salad with my corn and ingredients I had on hand that would compliment this vegetable's starch and sweetness. I really love how the ingredients came together. The smooth sweet and salty caramelized onions with the lightly sweet and crunchy corn bits. The addition of goat cheese nicely melts and coats all the ingredients pulling it all together. You taste the thyme right at the end. It's earthy and refreshing and is what really makes this salad special.

For 2-3 servings:

3 ears of corn, shucked and shanks removed
1 small or medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 sprigs of fresh thyme (dried thyme doesn't really work in this recipe)
1/2 T of butter
2 oz of goat cheese, cold and crumbled
sea salt
olive oil

Boil the ears of corn for six minutes and then allow to cool on a plate. Just enough so that you're able to handle them. You want them to be warm.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Add the sliced onion and a sprinkle with a half teaspoon of salt. Stir frequently until they become soft and golden brown. About 6 to 8 minutes.

In a large wide bowl, or on a large cutting board slice the corn off the cob. Hold the ear vertically and run a sharp serrated knife down the side in a sawing motion cutting at the base of the kernel. Rotate the ear until all the corn is removed. You should have some nice larger pieces of kernels all stuck together. I love that! :D

Once you have all the corn off the cob combine it with the caramelized onions in a bowl and add the butter. Add the crumbled goat cheese and destem the thyme leaves right into the bowl. You can do this pretty easily by holding the very top of the sprig with the tips of your thumb and pointer finger. Next, place the same fingertips of your other hand directly underneath your other fingertips and lightly pull down, pulling the thyme leaves down and right off the stem into your bowl. If the stems of the thyme you're working with are very tender you can just tear up the entire sprig and add it in. Toss with a fork until the butter and goat cheese are lightly melted and incorporated. Taste to check seasoning. Add more salt or thyme if needed. Serve immediately.