CREAM OF ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & APPLE SOUP WITH CHEESE CROUTONS AND TRUFFLES

INGREDIENTS

SERVES: 12 
 ½ lb chunk of Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup flour
¼ cup canola oil
2 Butternut squashes, peeled
2 shallots cut into quarters
2 cloves peeled garlic
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½” chunks
½ cup minced carrots
½ cup minced celery
½ cup minced onions
¼ cup chopped thyme
½ cup white wine
½ gallon chicken stock, heated
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Sabatino White Truffle Oil, to taste
Fresh White Truffles, optional, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F degrees. Prepare a foil lined cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

2. Dollop tablespoon-sized amounts of grated parmesan cheese onto the foil lined sheet pan, making sure they are spaced out about ½ inch a part. Roast in oven until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool, leave as is or break up into small pieces; set aside.

3. There are two ways to add a roux to soup, you can build your soup around it at the start, or you can add it towards the end. We’re doing the second method: In a small pot combine flour and oil to form a roux. Set aside to cool.

4. Cut squash into 1-inch pieces. Place into a bowl with shallots and garlic. Toss with ¼ cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper and place onto the foiled lined cookie sheet (you may need to replace the foil). Transfer to the oven uncovered and roast until squash turns golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.

5. While squash is roasting, heat a large soup pot, pour in ¼ cup olive oil and butter. Sauté apples, carrots, celery, onions and thyme until tender*, deglaze with white wine and reduce by half. Pour in heated chicken stock to pot.

6. Stir in roasted squash, shallot and garlic to the chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes. Puree with a hand blender until smooth.

7. Slowly add in the cold roux a little at a time until soup is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Finish soup with heavy cream. Ladle soup into individual bowls, top with apple mixture if available*, crunchy cheese croutons, and a light drizzle of White Truffle Oil. Finish off with a few shavings of fresh white truffles for an extra touch.

*If you’d like to add additional garnish to your soup- as seen in the picture -make extra sautéed apple/carrot/celery to use as a topping for your soup.