Best 3 Chef Johns Butternut Bisque Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S BUTTERNUT BISQUE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and a large pinch of salt. Cook and stir until onions have softened but not taken on any color, about 10 or 15 minutes.
• Cut off ends of squash. Carefully cut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Cut into chunks.
• Raise heat under pot to medium-high. Stir in tomato paste; cook and stir until mixture begins to caramelize and turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add squash, chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until squash is very tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Blend with an immersion blender until very smooth. Stir in cream and maple syrup; add more salt if needed.
• Ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with a swirl of cream, and a sprinkle of chives and pomegranate seeds.

CHEF JOHN'S ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Drizzle olive oil into large roasting pan. Add onion, carrots, garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt. Toss until coated in oil. Place squash halves flesh side up on the chopped vegetables. Sprinkle squash with additional salt.
• Roast in preheated oven until squash is tender and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour. Allow vegetables to cool a bit.
• Melt butter over medium heat. Butter will foam, and start to turn a golden brown. Reduce heat to low. When butter turns from golden to a light, nutty brown, remove pan from heat and immediately add sage leaves. Stir to infuse the butter with sage.
• Scoop out squash flesh and place in roasting pan with roasted chopped vegetables. Transfer mixture into large stock pot. Stir in chicken broth, brown sage butter, and maple syrup. Place pot over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; slowly simmer to blend flavors, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Blend until very smooth with an immersion blender, 3 or 4 minutes. Pass mixture through a strainer to remove any remaining fibrous bits.
• If soup seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth. Stir in apple cider vinegar, a pinch of salt (or to taste), and cayenne pepper. Garnish servings of soup with a dollop of creme fraiche and chopped chives.

BUTTERNUT-SQUASH BISQUE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter until it foams. Add the squash, fennel, ginger and garlic and cook slowly until soft, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir, then cook for 5 or 6 minutes to incorporate.
• Meanwhile, in a large pan set over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Remove and drain over paper towels. Reserve.
• Add the vermouth and cognac to deglaze the first pan, and reduce the liquids until the pan is almost dry. Add the tomato juice and reduce it by half, approximately 3 minutes. Add the stock, anise and cardamom and simmer until it has reduced by roughly half, about 30 minutes. When the bisque has reduced, remove from heat and stir in the tarragon. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Whisk in the crème fraîche, then strain bisque through a fine-meshed sieve or chinois.
• Season with salt, lime juice and cayenne. Serve immediately with a slice of crisp bacon over the top, and a sprinkle of pumpkinseeds.