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RECIPE in the News - March 2003* Squash-&-Pear Bisque
A perfect soup for a chilly evening. You can substitute chopped, dried pears in place of the fresh with very tasty results. You can also top it with a little bit of grated, reduced fat sharp white cheddar cheese, which will add a nice balance to the sweetness of the squash and the pear.
1 butternut squash (about 2-3/4 pounds) 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups chopped peeled Bartlett pear (about 1 pound) 1-1/2 cups thinly sliced onion 2-1/3 cups water 1 cup pear nectar 2 (14-1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup half-and-half 1 small Bartlett pear, cored and thinly sliced 2 tsp favorite spices such savory and majoram1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet; bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until tender. Cool. Peel squash; mash pulp. Set aside 3-1/2 cups pulp, reserving remaining squash for another use.
3. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped pear and onion; saute 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add squash pulp, water, and next 5 ingredients (water through pepper). Bring to a boil; partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes.
4. Place one-third of squash mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed mixture into a large bowl; repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Return squash mixture to pan; stir in half-and-half. Cook over low heat 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into bowls, and garnish with pear slices.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1-1/4 cups)
Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 149 (25% from fat); Fat 4.2g (sat 2g, mono 1g, poly 0.2g); Protein 1.9g; Carbohydrates 29.4g; Fiber 3.7g; Cholesterol 10mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 622mg; Calcium 70mg
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