Well, I had one of those nights. Dinner was a colossal failure. I am so annoyed. Brock and I got colds over the weekend and are both still feeling pretty wiped out today. However, I still had to go to the grocery store and do the weekly shopping. They had a huge display of squashes, gourds, and pumpkins. I got so excited, and decided the only thing I wanted was butternut squash soup. I have a recipe that I have made many times, and I know the recipe pretty well. So I got all the ingredients, and thought my soup about it all afternoon. I just knew it would make me feel better.
This is what I put in the soup, and I just noticed it was expired. So gross. Moral of the story: don't cook when sick. This is why we have take out.
I was in slow motion the whole time I made dinner but I muscled through because I was so excited for the soup. Finally, I was all set to serve dinner. Butternut squash soup, salad, bread, and some chicken for Brock. Perfect for a Monday night. The last step of the soup is to stir in the cream. I didn't want to used heavy cream, so I was going to use a combo of plain yogurt and sour cream. I reach into the fridge, grab the sour cream and little container of Greek yogurt. Then I plop the yogurt in and randomly taste the spoon.... it was vanilla flavored. VANILLA flavored yogurt! On the last step! I don't even like flavored yogurt. I don't even remember buying it. I tried to scoop it out, but it was too late. The whole thing tasted like sweet vanilla and I have to now pour out a huge pot of soup. Disgusting.
I ate some lettuce and have sat here and pouted over my failed soup. But I do want to pass along the recipe because it is so good. I wooed Brock with this soup when we were first dating and it has been in regular rotation ever since. Make it and then tell me how good it is without vanilla. Boo hoo.
Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Soup
by Emeril Lagasse
Obviously, I wouldn't make my exact adjustments, but I always skip the crispy sage leaves. I use mostly thyme in place of the herbs and only a tiny bit of sage.
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash, about 3 pounds, halved, seeds removed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus 12 whole leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
6 cups light chicken stock or broth
1 teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream, or more to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly coat the squash halves with 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil. Season the inside with salt and pepper and place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until very tender, about 45 minutes. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and reserve. Discard the peel.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the remaining vegetable oil and, when hot but not smoking, add the sausage. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until the onions wilted and starting to caramelize, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, sage and marjoram, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cooked squash and chicken stock, stir well to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
With a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or blender, puree the soup. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean saucepan. Add the cider vinegar and stir to combine. Add the cream and adjust seasoning, to taste.
In a small saute pan, cook the butter over medium-high heat until it begins to turn brown around the edges. Add the whole sage leaves and cook until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the leaves to paper towels to drain.
Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with the crispy sage leaves.
I was in slow motion the whole time I made dinner but I muscled through because I was so excited for the soup. Finally, I was all set to serve dinner. Butternut squash soup, salad, bread, and some chicken for Brock. Perfect for a Monday night. The last step of the soup is to stir in the cream. I didn't want to used heavy cream, so I was going to use a combo of plain yogurt and sour cream. I reach into the fridge, grab the sour cream and little container of Greek yogurt. Then I plop the yogurt in and randomly taste the spoon.... it was vanilla flavored. VANILLA flavored yogurt! On the last step! I don't even like flavored yogurt. I don't even remember buying it. I tried to scoop it out, but it was too late. The whole thing tasted like sweet vanilla and I have to now pour out a huge pot of soup. Disgusting.
I ate some lettuce and have sat here and pouted over my failed soup. But I do want to pass along the recipe because it is so good. I wooed Brock with this soup when we were first dating and it has been in regular rotation ever since. Make it and then tell me how good it is without vanilla. Boo hoo.
Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage Soup
by Emeril Lagasse
Obviously, I wouldn't make my exact adjustments, but I always skip the crispy sage leaves. I use mostly thyme in place of the herbs and only a tiny bit of sage.
Ingredients
1 large butternut squash, about 3 pounds, halved, seeds removed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus 12 whole leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
6 cups light chicken stock or broth
1 teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream, or more to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly coat the squash halves with 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil. Season the inside with salt and pepper and place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until very tender, about 45 minutes. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and reserve. Discard the peel.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the remaining vegetable oil and, when hot but not smoking, add the sausage. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until the onions wilted and starting to caramelize, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, sage and marjoram, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cooked squash and chicken stock, stir well to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
With a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor or blender, puree the soup. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean saucepan. Add the cider vinegar and stir to combine. Add the cream and adjust seasoning, to taste.
In a small saute pan, cook the butter over medium-high heat until it begins to turn brown around the edges. Add the whole sage leaves and cook until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the leaves to paper towels to drain.
Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with the crispy sage leaves.
I love the title of this post. I remember being mortified at the time the roast was actually being thrown over the fence... who knew that it would be the highlight of our childhood?
ReplyDeleteHey do you think I can do this without the sausage? I want to use it as a vegetarian side dish (Meatless Monday). Do I need to add some Italian herbage?
ReplyDeleteI made this without the sausage tonight. It is A-MAZE-ING. Love, love, love it! So did Mike and Caroline. I used the Greek yogurt and skipped the crispy sage (didn't have fresh sage). This is my new favorite soup.
ReplyDelete