Thanksgiving Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Cider Compote and Cardamom Gelee

Start your Thanksgiving meal out with the perfect appetizer from Executive Chef Bertrand Chemel of 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church, VA.  This Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Cider Compote and Cardamom Gelee will hit the spot before digging into the turkey.

 

INGREDIENTS:

·       4 oz butter (clarified)
·       7 oz onion (sliced)
·       1 oz ginger
·       7 butternut squash (cleaned and diced)
·       4.5 oz lemongrass (chopped)
·       1 can of coconut milk
·       1 cup heavy cream
·       1 T curry powder
·       ½ oz butter
·       2 ½ qt water

METHOD:
1.     In a large sauce pot, melt 4 ounces of butter and sweat the onions and ginger for about five minutes.
2.     Add the butternut squash and sweat for about fifteen to twenty minutes.
3.     Add the water and heavy cream.
4.     In a small sauce pot, melt the clarified butter.
5.     Add the lemongrass and stir fry for about 4 minutes, then add the curry powder and coconut milk.  Cook for 5 minutes and process in a blender until everything is chopped very well. Pass through a sieve and keep the liquid.

For the Apple Cider Compote:
INGREDIENTS:
·       6 Gala or 4 Honeycrisp apples
·       1 T grapeseed oil
·       ½ cup apple cider

 

For the Gelée:
INGREDIENTS:
·       0.4 oz  gelatin sheet or powder (if powder, add 1 oz. cold water)
·       ¼ t cardamom powder
·       2 cup apple cider

 

METHOD:
1.     Peel the apples and cut into 1 inch pieces.
2.     Sautée the apple in a medium sauté pan at high heat, until light brown.
3.     Deglaze with the apple cider and cook slowly until the apples are very soft and dry.
4.     Blend the apples in a food processor, to obtain a smooth purée.
5.      Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water until soft.
6.     Bring ¼ cup of the apple cider to a boil. Add the gelatin and cook for about one minute to dissolve the gelatin correctly.
7.     Mix the gelatin with the remaining apple cider, add the cardamom and set aside on ice.
8.     Emulsify the liquid with a hand blender for about 6 to 10 minutes. Set the gelée aside on ice.