Butternut Soup with Pears, Cider and Vanilla

This slightly unusual soup was thanks to Molly Wizenberg's delightful book, A Homemade Life,  which we are currently reading for Cook the Books Club.  I have been trying various of her recipes, this soup being the latest.  What a fantastic concoction of flavors -  golden butternut with pears, cream and vanilla, a hint of apple cider and my duck stock backing everything nicely.

For Daring Cooks this month our goal was to make stock and then a soup.  Peta, of the blog Peta Eats, was our lovely hostess for the Daring Cook’s September 2011 challenge, “Stock to Soup to Consommé”. We were taught the meaning between the three dishes, how to make a crystal clear Consommé if we so chose to do so, and encouraged to share our own delicious soup recipes!

I made a flavorful stock from Sunday dinner's roasted duck carcass, with added aromatics, carrots, celery and onion.  After chilling the broth and removing all fat, I reduced it by quite a bit, then went on, days later after numerous attempts at gathering together the various ingredients, to this soup.  Finally.  But, well worth the effort.  Since I do make stock on a regular basis, I should have done the clear Consommé thing with an egg white raft and all.  But, truthfully it just did not call out to me.

Butternut Soup with Pears, Cider and Vanilla

From A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs. butternut squash (mine was 4 lbs. so I had to cut it in half), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 4 generous cups)
2 firm-ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I used duck)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup half-and-half or cream
1 vanilla bean
Finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or small stockpot over medium-low heat.  Add the squash, pears, and onion and stir to coat with oil.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and transparent and the pears are starting to fall apart.
      Add the cider and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add the broth, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
      Using a blender or food processor and working in small batches - don't fill your blender jar more than 1/3 full; hot liquids expand - puree until very smooth.  Return the soup to the stockpot and add the salt.  Continue to cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat, until the soup has reduced to about 1/2 to 1/3 the original volume.  Stir occasionally.  The final consistency is up to you; when it reaches a thickness that seems right - it's ready.
     While the soup is reducing, put the cream in a small saucepan.  Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half from tip to tip.  Using the back of your knife, scrape the tiny black seeds out of the pod.  Scoop the seeds and the pod into the pan with the cream and warm it over low heat, swirling occasionally, until it steams.  Do not allow it to boil.  Pull off the heat, remove and discard the pod and whisk to break up any clumps of seeds.  Set aside.
      When the soup has reduced to your desired thickness, stir in the infused cream or half-and-half.  Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
      Serve, garnished with a sprinkling of fresh chives.

Yield: 4 - 5 servings

A truly delicious and unique assemblage of compatible flavors.  I think the duck base note went exceptionally well here.  Duck does have a traditional pairing with fruits in cooking, with good reason.  Definitely a do it again recipe. I'm sharing this with Souper Sundays, hosted each week by fellow Hawaiian blogger, Deb of Kahakai Kitchen.