BLACK CAT BISTRO
BLUE HUBBARD SQUASH SOUP
From Chef/Owner Deborah Scarborough
My grandmother used to always get blue hubbards when I was a girl. I hadn't seen them in years until Windrose Farm came by with them one day and I quickly snatched a couple up. Hubbards tend to be very large, so be careful when cutting into them as they can be awkward to work with. You'll want to use about a quarter of your squash, and roast and freeze the rest for another use, such as cheesecake or a side dish.
Ingredients:
3 pounds of Blue Hubbard squash (or another type of winter squash, if you can't find Blue Hubbard)
1 cube of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Chinese five spice
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or sea salt)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot - thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic - roughly chopped
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup heavy cream
1 quart of milk (or more)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon brown sugar
white pepper to taste
more salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cut up the squash into one inch pieces. Spread them out on a couple of baking sheets. Do not pile the pieces on top of each other. You want them to roast, not to steam. Dot with 3/4s of the butter and sprinkle with the five spice and the salt and black pepper. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and roast until tender and just turning golden. You'll want to take them out a couple of times during roasting to toss and coat with the butter and spices that have melted onto the pan. Put aside while you start to make the soup.
In a large pot melt the remainder of the butter. When starting to bubble, add the shallot and the garlic and cook on medium low heat until nicely caramelized about 10 minutes. Do not burn. Deglaze with a little brandy and cook off the alcohol. Then add the cooked squash, scraping all the bits from the baking sheets. Add the milk and the cream. The milk should cover the squash, so add more if needed. Bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is very soft, if it wasn't already. Puree in batches in a blender with the remaining seasonings (brown sugar, thyme, nutmeg, white pepper, salt and pepper). Taste to make sure the flavors are nicely balanced and adjust your seasonings. Make sure you puree for a very long time and add more milk if necessary. You don't want the soup so thick it will plop when put in a bowl. It should be silky smooth. If needed, push through a fine mesh sieve. Serve topped with a drizzle of brandied creme fraiche and some five spice oil, if you like.
