Our first Thanksgiving in Oregon in 2002 was a downcast one. We had just arrived from Baltimore, Maryland and knew nobody. Our closest relatives were thousands of miles away from us.
I remember it as a dark, dreary and wet first Pacific Northwest Thanksgiving for us. But thankfully, we had heard of the Allison Inn and Spa and decided to dine there for Thanksgiving dinner.
Dinner was a generous four-course offering of soup, a choice of two salads, a choice of two entrees including the obligatory turkey, and ending with a tasting of three pies. What wasn’t eaten at dinner was beautifully packaged to be toted home in a smart gift bag — a nice attention to detail.
For me the star of this meal was the Butternut Squash Soup. It only took a little sweet-talking before the chef graciously provided me with his recipe.
At first taste, the utter simplicity and velvety smoothness of the soup soothes and satisfies. Then you crunch into the toasted hazelnuts and the divine fried sage. Sage and butternut squash are famous companions, and fast-frying the sage allows it to step out from a major layer of flavor to an attention-getting accent. Heaven in a bowl. I only hoped that I could balance the remaining soup and garnishes spoon by spoon to the end. It did exactly what any first course should do — leave you satisfied but wanting more.
Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Hazelnuts and Fried Sage
Ingredients
- 3 large butternut squash, peeled, cored and diced, with seeds and pith reserved
- 2 quarts water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 large shallots, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 2 large star anise
- 9 allspice berries
- 1 clove
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- Garnishes: Toasted crushed hazelnuts; fried sage leaf crumbles
Directions
Combine the spices, water and reserved seeds and pith from the squash cavity and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. While the stock is simmering, combine the shallots and butter in a two-gallon pot and cook over high heat, stirring constantly until lightly browned. Remove from the heat. Add the squash to the pot of shallots. Stir to combine.
Strain the finished stock over the shallots and squash and bring them to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender. Season with kosher salt and purée with cream. (Note: If puréeing in a food processor or blender, remember to process hot liquids in batches.) Adjust consistency with water or cream to taste.
Garnish with crushed toasted hazelnuts and fried sage leaf crumbles.