Time’s right for squash soup
Q. My sister and I had the most delightful dinner at Seasons 52 in Boca Raton. Love the ambiance and the food. What could be nicer than dinner on the patio overlooking a lake? We decided to check out the harvest menu. For our first course, we chose the roasted butternut squash soup. Outstanding! There was an ingredient in the soup that we could not nail. We thought it had a hint of some sherry or liquor. We asked our lovely waitress to check with the chef. No, was the answer to both. I would love to try to make this soup. Perhaps you could pry the ingredients away from the chef. Looking forward to your response. — Joan Terry, Boynton Beach
A. I didn’t have to look far for Seasons 52’s (multiple locations, season52.com) roasted butternut squash soup. Our sister publication, the Orlando Sentinel, featured the recipe a few years ago. Darden Restaurants, based in Orlando, developed this seasonal, lighter menu concept in 2003, and there are now more than 40 Seasons 52 locations nationwide. As the name suggests, the restaurant's core menu changes four times a year.
Joan’s query comes at the perfect time for those interested in serving something new and wholesome for their Thanksgiving feast. And with the recent welcomed
Claire’s tip of the week: Today’s soup recipe calls for an optional garnish of baked apples. Aside from adding flavor, the garnish adds great texture and visual appeal, too. Making the apples is easy enough and amounts to thinly slicing an apple. The recipe just takes some time to dry out in the oven. Take the apples one step further and bake until crispy for a delicious, healthy snack the kids will also enjoy.
To make the roasted apples for the soup garnish, heat oven to 225 degrees F. Line baking pans with parchment paper. Place thinly sliced apples in an even layer. Bake apples for about an hour, or until they are dry, flipping half way through baking. For crispy apple slices bake another 30-60 minutes, depending on the thickness. The slices will crisp upon cooling.
I’ve haven’t tried it, but read that microwaving is also an option. This may be worth exploring for smaller amounts. Lay apple slices between paper towels and pat dry. Place on microwave-safe plate lined with parchment paper. Microwave on high power until chip edges start to curl, about 3 to 3 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container. break in South Florida’s weather, making and eating soup actually sounds appealing. Maybe the smokiness from the Chipotle Tabasco was the flavor you were trying to identify, Joan?
Q. I’m in charge of bringing a salad to a friend’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. Can you suggest something a little different than the basic green salad that is easy to make? — Sarah Holmes, Coral Springs
A. In keeping with the holiday theme, I’m offering a recipe for Brussels sprout salad, which is really close to a slaw. The recipe isn’t difficult. It just takes a little time to shred the sprouts. Or you can lighten the task if you have a food processor fitted with a slicing attachment. I’ve also seen sprouts packaged as “shaved” in some grocers.
The best part is, this salad is actually better when made in advance, eliminating last-minute kitchen prep. Your host will appreciate this. If you want to make it more like a “salad,” you can add a few handfuls of chopped kale, baby arugula or watercress. I’ve made many variations of this side dish depending on my mood or what the pantry or fridge has in store. Try adding a smoky thick-cut bacon, substituting seeds for almonds, walnuts or pecans, switching up the cheese with feta or an aged goat and replacing cherries with cranberries or raisins. There’s plenty of options for you and your friends. Hope they like what you bring to the table. Happy Thanksgiving!