"When in doubt, serve soup" is a philosophy I have written about on more than one occasion. Soups are versatile. You can serve them at lunch or supper, offer them as the first or main course, or present them hot or cold. Soups are also simple to prepare. Whether you're a seasoned or beginning cook, you'll find potages are practically foolproof. Best of all, though, most soups can be made in advance and even improve in flavor when cooked ahead. No wonder, then, that when I am entertaining, soups are often on my menus.
A soup will be the centerpiece of a meal I'll use to welcome guests coming for a visit soon. A delicious roasted butternut squash soup with sage cream will be the star attraction accompanied by a salad of mixed greens, sliced pears and goat cheese. A basket of warm crusty peasant bread and a plate of dark chocolate caramel brownies for dessert will complete the offerings.
This soup is ideal for this time of year when cold weather squashes begin to appear in farmers markets and groceries. Cubes of golden butternut squash are roasted to intensify their flavor, then simmered with chopped shallots in chicken stock. Next, this vegetable mixture is puréed and enriched with crème fraîche that has been infused with sage. Servings are garnished with a sprinkle of grated Gruyère, which melts and adds a slightly nutty taste.
Although I am using this creamy butternut soup as a main course, it could also be an opener for an autumn dinner. Delicious, uncomplicated and easily prepared ahead, this soup is going to find a place on more than one of my autumn menus.
Betty Rosbottom is a cooking school director and author of "Big Book of Backyard Cooking."
