Soup
- 1 cup drained canned or jarred chestnuts, chopped
- 8 cup water
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
- 1 large leek, white and pale green parts, rinsed and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 dried chipotle chiles
- 1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
- 1 whole nutmeg, halved
Put the cinnamon stick, nutmeg, lemongrass, cardamom pods, ginger, and chipotle peppers in cheesecloth. Knot securely or tie with string and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the leek and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the squash, chestnuts, sage, cheesecloth pouch, and water. The water should cover the squash by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat, cover, and simmer until the squash is tender and falls apart, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Balsamic-Caramelized Pears
- pepper
- sea salt
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 tbsp grapeseed or safflower oil
To make the caramelized pears, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the pears and sauté for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and stir in the maple syrup, cinnamon, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pears are soft and the liquid becomes syrupy and coats the pears. Set aside to cool.
To finish the soup, remove the cheesecloth pouch and discard. Add the maple syrup and salt to taste. Transfer the soup to a blender and process until smooth, or process the soup in the pot with an immersion blender. If the soup seems too thick, add a bit more water.
To serve, gently reheat the soup, taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with the caramelized pears, and serve warm.
Recipe courtesy of Candle 79 Cookbook by Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos and Jorge Pineda/Ten Speed Press, 2011.
