Episode 303: Happy Holidays: Eric's Butternut Squash Soup

Challenge: Happy Holidays

Dish: Eric's Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
1 ea butternut squash, medium dice
1 ea onion, medium dice
2 ea granny smith apples, medium dice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne
1 qt chicken stock
1 tsp ras al hanout spice mix
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp almonds, toasted
2 tbsp yogurt
1 tbsp za’atar
1 ea pomegranate
1 bunch sage, fried leaves
2 tsp sherry vinegar
2 ea limes, juice
4 slices bacon

Directions:
In a medium pot, fry the bacon, then add the onion, squash, apple. Once the product is sweating, remove the bacon. Add the chicken stock. Add the spices. Cook until soft. Strain, reserve the liquid. Add the heavy cream, maple syrup, sherry vinegar, and lime juice. Blend, check consistency and flavor.

For yogurt, add the za’atar (pulse the za’atar in spice grinder) add to the yogurt and
season with salt.

Pop the pomegranate out, cut in half, use a spoon to bang them out. Let them float in water to get the white pith out. Toss in pomegranate molasses.

Fry the sage in oil for 20 seconds.

Assemble soup on spoon, a drop of yogurt, pomegranate on top and 1 small fried sage leaf.