Miso-Glazed Butternut Squash Soup

- Elspeth Leave a comment

Hello friends. Here in California, we like to think that we have seasons just like the rest of the country. It’s not true, but we enjoy our dreams. With November in full swing and Thanksgiving a mere stone’s throw away, it’s time to start prepping our innards for the onslaught of starches and festive holiday foods. We may not have snow and colorful foliage, but we can cook with the best of them.

And what’s better than a delicious twist on a classic? Not a whole lot.

Butternut Miso Soup with Fried Leeks. 

Not only was this dish as fabulous as a bedazzled belt buckle, it was consumed under the glow of twinkly lights on a delightfully warm evening. The miso gives it a great salty-sweetness that goes very well with the delicate butternut flavor. I’m a big fan of squash, but I get very bored with simple butternut soup. I discovered the fantabulousness of miso last year and tried to use it in just about everything, with this dish as the knockout.

It’s a very simple recipe and takes very little time, with even less effort. The addition of the fried leeks (which were amazing and great as a pre-dinner-I’m-starving-and-won’t-wait-any-longer snack) came from Cook’s Illustrated. Thank you, Lauren!

You will need:

1 3lb butternut squash
4 small russet potatoes
3 T miso paste (found in the refrigerated section with other Asian items)
2 T olive oil
1 T sesame oil
3 T rice vinegar
1 leek
3/4 c creme fraiche*

*Dairy is tricky when warmed. It tends to curdle and then your guests look at you like you’ve got some sort of incurable disease that you’ve spread into their food. Cook’s Illustrated, those tricksy folks, have done us all a favor and researched this issue extensively. They found that creme fraiche, unlike sour cream, milk, and yogurt, does not curdle when hot. I highly recommend it!

Preheat your oven to 400 and start on your squash. Peel and chop it down to about 1-2in cubes:

In a large bowl, mix together the miso paste, oils, and vinegar.

It should be very thick, but thin enough to spread easily. Throw your butternut cubes into the bowl and toss to coat evenly.

Spread them evenly on a greased baking sheet and bake until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Stir about half-way through. Meanwhile, chop your potatoes and but them into a large pot with cold water. There should be about 2 quarts of liquid. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cooking until the potatoes are done. Add your roasted butternut and puree:

Add the creme fraiche and stir to ensure even distribution. Salt, if desired.

For the leeks, slice them into about 1/4 rounds or smaller.

Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Heat a deep pan on medium-high with about 1/4 oil and dredge the leeks in flour, salt, and pepper.

When the oil is nice and hot, shake any excess flour off and fry the leeks until they are brown and crunchy.

Ladle yourself some soup, toss the leeks on top with a spot of grated parmesan, and grab a hunk of bread. It’s nomming time!

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls

- Elspeth 2 Comments

All things you know and love: bread, butter, ranch flavor, bacon, and cheese. I know, I know– what was I thinking? Don’t I value my arteries? To all you negative Nancies, I say only this: you are just jealous. I saw this recipe on Pinterest and had to unearth it’s originsand make it myself. Without any further ado…

“Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls“. This is amazing and addictive. You will punch people in the face to get to it first. You might even sacrifice your first born for another hit. So be warned– don’t enter into this culinary adventure if you’re emotionally distraught; you might find yourself suddenly covered in bacon bits, with butter smeared across your best face. Food-binge blackouts are the worst!

If you’re ready to take the plunge, here’s what you’ll need:
1 loaf crusty bread (the original recipe called for round, which was dandy; however, the center of the loaf didn’t get much “love”, if you will. I think a regular long baguette or ciabatta would work quite nicely)
1/2 lb bacon
1/4 lb cheddar
1 stick butter
1.5 T ranch dressing powder stuff

Cook your bacon:

Dice it up so that you have little delicious bits. Take your loaf:

And slice it both ways, but not all the way through:

So that you have little squares that are still attached to the base. Slice up the cheese:

Melt the butter and stir in the ranch powder:

I’m not going to show you the resulting mixture. It might scare you away. I can tell you, though, that it smelled fantastic. Like a magical marriage of garlic and fat that floated through the air and touched your very soul.

And by soul I mean salivary glands.

Smoosh (technical term) the cheese and bacon into all the little crevices of your bread. Dribble the butter-ranch mixture all over, making sure to get a good amount in the middle or thickest portion.

Wrap in foil and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.

When ready, face plant into the bread and start chewing. Tell everyone you have some contagious and incurable disease so that they remove themselves from your presence and leave you in peace. Their shunning will be worth it, I assure you.

Food coma noms!