September is nearly over. The nights are cold enough now that I’d rather not brave the outdoors without a jacket, sweater or decent buzz. The leaves are starting to change color, the farmers have started or finished pulling their crops and our Thanksgiving is right around the corner. It is nearly autumn, or as I think of it, soup season. God willing, as soup blogging is indeed the path of the righteous man, I will manage to post about as many of my favorites as time permits: and that’s a great many soups.
Butternut Squash and Sweet Corn Soup…

6 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Gruyere or Swiss, grated
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2. Rinse potato slices and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange one layer of potato slices in a buttered casserole dish.
3. Slowly bring cream to a boil with garlic in a small saucepan. Pour 3/4 over the potato slices and season with salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the remaining potato slices in the casserole dish. Dot with butter and bake, uncovered until golden brown, about 1-1/2 hours.
5. Sprinkle cheese over potatoes and return to the oven until cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Makes 6 servings

1 pound whole shrimp
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium leek, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cups water

4 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper

1. Shell shrimp and put shells, carrot, leek and bay leaf with the water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender. Put through a strainer and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Melt butter with garlic in a large soup pot over medium heat, then whisk in the flour. Cook for about a minute.
3. Gradually whisk in the shrimp broth until fully incorporated, then add the milk, cream and shrimp meat.
4. Once the shrimp has turned pink, stir in paprika, dill and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning as necessary and serve.

Makes 4 servings

3 pound butternut squash
2 small potatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2/3 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Roast potatoes and squash until very tender, about an hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to the touch.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, then add the garlic and white wine.
4. Bring the wine to a boil and reduce by half, then stir in the chicken broth and reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
5. Cube the potatoes and slice the squash in half, scooping out out seeds. Add the potatoes and flesh of the squash to the soup.
6. Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and puree in batches. Return to the pot.
7. Stir in stir in thyme and heavy cream and cook just long enough to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes 6 servings

3 tablespoons butter
4 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound assorted mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
3 ounces sherry or brandy
3/4 cup roasted chestnuts, halved
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until tender, then add the garlic.
2. Stir in the mushrooms and sauté until tender and brown, then add the thyme and sherry.
3. Simmer until most of the sherry has evaporated, then add the chestnuts and heavy cream, stirring to coat.
4. Season liberally with salt and pepper and serve garnished with chopped parsley.

Makes 4 servings

2 eight ounce flank steaks
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon peppercorns
2 tablespoons heavy cream
salt

1. Lightly press steaks into a mixture of black and white peppercorns and sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it begins to foam, add the garlic, stirring around the pan, then sear all sides of the steaks.
3. Pour in beef stock and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until steaks are very tender, about 30-45 minutes.
4. Transfer the steaks to a warm place, add the green peppercorns to the skillet and bring the remaining liquid to a boil. Reduce until thick enough to coat a spoon.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat, allow to cool slightly, then slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Adjust seasoning as necessary and serve over steaks.

Makes 2 servings

4 slices bacon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
2 tablespoons butter
3 sprigs thyme, chopped
1 bay leaf, torn
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup wine
2 tablespoons cream
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Lay bacon on the bottom of a casserole dish. Combine butter, thyme and bay leaf and spread them on the chicken breasts, then place them on top of the bacon.
3. Bake the chicken in the oven until it is cooked through to the center, about 20 minutes.
4. Keep chicken warm and pour juices from the casserole dish into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in mustard, wine and cream and bring to a boil. Reduce to a thick sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over chicken to serve.

Makes 4 servings

1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 lb lean ground beef
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup light cream or heavy cream
salt and pepper

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the potato until tender.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender.
3. Combine potato, onion, bread crumbs, ground beef, cream, egg and parsley. Continue to mix until smooth and fluffy.
4. Season meat with salt and pepper and shape into 1" balls. Arrange on a baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for an hour.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cook the meatballs in batches, turning often to preserve their shape. Adding remaining butter and oil as necessary and keep cooked meatballs in a warm place until serving.
6. Once all the meatballs are cooked, stir flour into the pan drippings, then whisk in cream. Continue cooking until thick. Serve with potatoes or cooked egg noodles.

Makes 6 servings

6 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup warmed cream
salt and pepper
water

1. Place potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat and continue cooking until easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes, return to the pot and mash with a fork or hand masher.
3. Stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Gradually stir in cream until it the potatoes have a creamy consistency. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup walnuts
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
1/4 cup cream
salt and pepper

1. Combine garlic, basil and walnuts in a food processor until well combined. Gradually add oil while processing to form a pourable sauce.
2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the chicken breasts. Fry until lightly browned, then flip and continue cooking until the center is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove chicken breasts and keep warm.
4. Add cream and prepared pesto to the pan. Stir to combine, then add the chicken breasts, reheat and serve.

Makes 2 servings