Lazy Pork Dumplings – Now with 100% Less Pleating

What started as an attempt to streamline the fabrication of pork dumplings, ended as a pretty decent shortcut version for making Xiao Long Bao. If you’ve ever had soup dumplings, you know there’s nothing quite like them. The way the rich, meaty juices gush out when you bite in, is one of the world’s great eating experiences, and while these don’t provide quite the same sensation, if served in a broth, they’re close enough for me.

Even if you don’t serve them in a soup, this much quicker, and casual production method will work just as well, whether they get steamed, boiled, or fried. And don’t feel like you have to stay with the Asian theme here. I’m really hoping someone does an Italian twist, using some type of meat-based ravioli filling.

If you’re going to freeze these for future use, be sure to do that while they’re sitting on a lightly floured tray. Then, once frozen, you can transfer them into zip-top bags. If you try to bag them, and then freeze, you may go back to having one giant dumpling.  Anyway, whether you’re planning on eating these now, or later, or both, I really do hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 32 Lazy Pork Dumplings (4 servings):

For the filling:

1 pound ground pork

4 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon very finely minced or grated ginger

1/3 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup sliced chives

2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon fine salt)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Korean chili flakes

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

For the broth (1 cup broth per serving):

4 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar, or to taste

3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste

1 teaspoon Korean chili flakes

For the dough (enough to wrap 2 batches of dumplings):

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

3/4 cup warm water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

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5-Minute Fisherman’s Stew – Give or Take

Of course this Fisherman’s Stew takes more than five minutes to make, and I’m actually referring to the approximate cooking time once the seafood hits the pan, but as they say, it’s only false advertising if someone else does it. Besides, one taste and I’m sure you’ll forgive any temporal exaggerations. If, that is, you use really great seafood.

A recipe this simple has many advantages. It’s fast, easy, and doesn’t require a ton of prep, but the downside is, there’s nowhere to hide sub-par ingredients. So, unless you’re going to splurge on the freshest, sweetest, most pristine seafood you can find, you may want to look for another recipe.

Above and beyond that very critical directive, you’ll also want to be sure your brothy base is aggressively seasoned before you toss your seafood in. Since we don’t season the fish and shellfish directly, we need to make sure we have enough salt, and whatever else you’re using, to go around. Other than that, not much can go wrong, and assuming there’s some crusty bread nearby, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 Portions:

For the brothy base:

1 cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes (if your tomatoes aren't nice and sweet, toss in a teaspoon of sugar)

2 cups fish stock, clam juice, or if time are tough, water

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste

For the rest of the stew:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 very thinly sliced fennel bulb

salt to taste

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup chopped parsley

8 ounces firm white fish, like halibut or sea bass, cut into 1.5-inch cubes

8 peeled and deveined raw shrimp
8 ounces cleaned, ready to cook calamari

12 mussels, scrubbed clean

12 clams, scrubbed clean

some crusty bread

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Bloody Mary Burrata – An Experiment in Liquefying Salads

I don’t think there’s actually a difference between a liquid salad, and a cold vegetable soup, but if there is, I’d like this Bloody Mary Burrata recipe to be considered the former. Especially since I already posted a gazpacho this summer. But regardless of what you call this strange hybrid, it really was delicious, fun to eat, and very refreshing.

I was recently gifted some homemade Bloody Mary mix by a couple of new friends, Clayton and Linda-Marie, which unfortunately I haven’t been able to enjoy yet. However, the combination of seeing that on the counter, along with a tub of burrata cheese in the fridge, led to this rather odd attempt. While the Bloody Mary part of the equation completely dominated the tomato and mozzarella salad element, I still found this thoroughly enjoyable to eat, which at the end of the day, is all that matters.

I’m not exactly sure how best to serve this, but a small portion as a starter would seem to make the most sense. Or, maybe a larger serving, paired with a crusty hunk of bread as a brunch item. Vodka sold separately. So, whether you’re going to take this idea and run with it, or you’re just going to do the first part, and make some real Bloody Marys, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions of Blood Mary Burrata:

2 pounds fresh vine-ripened tomatoes

1/3 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup sliced hot or mild red peppers

1/2 clove garlic

1/2 cup water

juice of one lemon

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, or to taste

2 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

2 tablespoons hot prepared horseradish, or to taste

2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

For Service:

1 cup Blood Mary Burrata base

2 ounces burrata cheese, or fresh mozzarella

sliced olives, celery, and cherry tomatoes to garnish

freshly grated horseradish root for the top

freshly ground black pepper and olive oil to finish, optional

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Golden State Gazpacho – Cold Soup for a Long Hot Day

It only seems fitting to post this Golden State Gazpacho recipe on the first day of summer, and the longest day of the year, since there is simply no better thing to eat on a hot, sunny afternoon. And since this time of year those hot sunny afternoons last well into the evening, there’s plenty of time to whip up a batch between naps.

Many gazpacho recipes that include fruit turn out tasting more like dessert, which is fine if that’s what you’re into, but if you want something that actually tastes like a super-refreshing, and seriously savory gazpacho, then this peach-kissed version is for you. This is a very simple recipe, and not a lot can go wrong, as long as you serve it ice cold. I can’t stress this enough, but I'll try. 

Some folks actually like to freeze about half the recipe in ice cube trays, and then serve those with the soup, to ensure that it’s literally ice cold. That’s a great trick if you feel so inclined, but at the very least, give your gazpacho a few hours in the fridge, as well as keep your cups in the freezer. Regardless, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 Portions:

2 pints sun gold cherry tomatoes

1 cup red cherry tomatoes

1 rounded cup cubed ripe yellow peaches, peeled (about 2 smaller peaches)

1 cup sliced, peeled English cucumber

1/2 cup roughly chopped orange bell pepper

1/4 cup yellow onion

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

cayenne to taste

2 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar

1 lime, juiced, or to taste

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup cold fresh water

For the garnish:

crumbled feta

diced fresh peach

thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

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Tuscan Onion Soup (Carabaccia) – French Onion Soup Before It Was French

I’ve wanted to make carabaccia ever since I found out it was the ancient ancestor of French onion soup. Not only is that an interesting fact, but it’s also a great addition to your dinner party conversation repertoire, especially where there are French chefs involved.

Okay, now let’s talk cinnamon. The safe play is to not add any, and live happily ever after. However, in very, very small amounts, it really does add a mysterious, wonderfully warming background note that you actually might enjoy. There’s only one way to find out, but please proceed with caution. Too much will render the soup inedible, and there’s really no way to know what “too much” is.

As I mentioned in the video, if you want to cut down on the stirring, you can cook the onions in a roasting pan. Just pop them in a 325 F. oven until they’re done, stirring a few times along the way. How long exactly is anyone’s guess, but just like the stove-top method, take your time, and wait until they are very soft.

So, whether you’re a culinary history buff like me, and want to taste what French onion soup tasted like 500 years ago, or it’s freezing outside, and a steaming bowl of something delicious sounds good, or both, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 Portions:

4 pounds red onions, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3 sage leaves, plus more for toast

1/4 cup finely ground almonds

very tiny pinch of cinnamon*

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or to taste

5-6 cups beef, chicken, or vegetable broth

freshly ground black pepper

freshly grated pecorino or parmesan cheese

For the toast:

3 thick slices Italian bread, halved

dress with olive oil, sage and grated Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

- Toast in a 400 F. oven for 15 minutes or until browned.

* While traditional, many people don’t enjoy the effect cinnamon has on the sweetness of the soup, so you may want to omit it, or add an extremely small amount, and then adjust from there. You can also make the soup without any, and then experiment by adding a trace amount to a small sample cup, and see what you think.

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Tuscan Fish Stew – Just Like I Barely Remember Having in Italy

I spent a few days in Florence about 30 years ago, and while I don’t remember much, I do recall a few things that surprised me, with this Tuscan Fish Stew being the most delicious. I’d had similar stews before that, but what I found so interesting was how herbs like oregano, sage, and rosemary, which I considered “meat only” seasonings were also used with seafood. The other surprises were the partial nudity on TV and in magazines, but that’s another blog post.

Anyway, it was quite the epiphany, since at the time, being fresh out of culinary school, I thought parsley, dill, and maybe tarragon were the only herbs we cooks were allowed to use for fish. Now that seems ridiculous, but at the time it was pretty heady stuff. Speaking of which, you do need to be careful, since these more resinous herbs can easily overpower a delicate dish.

As I said in the video, any tomato product will work in this, but I really like cherry tomatoes here, since they provide a fragrant freshness you just won’t get with a can or jar. You do need to strain them after blending, but the few extra minutes of work will be well worth the effort.

By the way, I hear that for this to qualify as an official Italian fish stew you need use at least five different types of seafood, which is both insane and adorable, but I thought I’d mention it just in case any old-school Tuscans are coming over. Regardless, I really do hope you give this easy and delicious fish stew a try soon. Enjoy! 

Ingredients for 2 large portions:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 sliced green onions

4 cloves sliced garlic

1 anchovy fillet

pinch of red pepper flakes

3 cups cherry tomatoes, blended with 1 cup of clam juice, or chicken broth

12 ounces halibut or other white fish

1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp or other seafood

salt to taste

2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, and pinch of rosemary)

crusty bread for soaking up the broth

Green Chicken Chili – Sorry, Red and White, But There’s a New Color in Town

If I had to pick a favorite color chili, it would have to be green. And, if I had to pick a favorite kind of green chili, it would be this chicken and white bean green chili, which, notwithstanding a very minor pumpkin seed issue, really came out amazing.

A true “chili verde” is made by roasting and pureeing fresh tomatillos, which is kind of labor intensive, if you can even find fresh tomatillos, so we’re going with a ready-to-use green salsa from the market. You should be able to chose from several varieties, but just be sure to read the labels carefully. Tomatillos must be the first ingredient, followed by onion, and chilies.

If you never had tomatillo before, I’d describe it as having a less sweet, slightly more acidic, but fruitier, tomato-like flavor. It’s very bright, and refreshing, and makes a chili prepared with it especially excellent for pairing with things like cornbread, or homemade corn tortillas. 

Once you find some tomatillo salsa, there’s not a lot that can go wrong, as we’re simply going to simmer everything until tender, assuming you’re using the recommended thighs. If you decided to use chicken breast, you’ll only need to simmer it until it’s cooked through, otherwise, unlike the thigh, it’ll get dry. No matter what you use, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 to 6 portions of Green Chicken Chili:

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, seasoned with salt

1 bottle (24-oz) tomatillo-based salsa verde, about 3 cups

1/2 cup fire-roasted hatch chilies, or other roasted green chili

3 garlic cloves

1 large jalapeno, sliced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground chipotle

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

2 cans white kidney beans (cannellini beans), drained, rinsed

sour cream and avocado to garnish

Butternut Bisque – To Roast or Not to Roast

That is the question, and for me the answer depends on what else is on the menu besides this delicious butternut bisque. 

When you roast butternut, you caramelize, and concentrate the flesh, and get something sweeter, starchier, and richer, which is perfect if you’re enjoying it as a meal, but maybe not such a great thing if it’s going to be followed by additional courses.

The last thing you want when you start a big holiday meal with a soup course are your guests feeling full when they finish. Of course, as with all things food, this is highly subjective, but I did want to share my thought process on skipping the roasting step.

I really enjoyed the festive, seasonally appropriate garnish seen herein, but if you are going for more of a stand-alone meal, it’s pretty amazing embellished with a handful of crispy bacon, and spoon of crème fraiche. So, whether you roast or not; whether you’re going to serve at some fancy feast, or just some chilly Tuesday night, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

1 butternut squash (about 2 lbs)

3 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, diced

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 quart chicken broth

pinch of cayenne

1/2 cup heavy cream or crème fraiche (plus more to swirl on top)

2 tablespoons maple syrup, or to taste
chives and pomegranate to garnish

Caldo Verde – My Green Soup Redux

Caldo verde is many things: simple to make, inexpensive, nutritious, famously delicious, and beyond comforting. What it isn’t, however, is Spanish. I learned that after posting a version of this soup 10 years ago, when I tagged it as “Spanish Cuisine,” and a few very “passionate” Portuguese viewers let me know, in no uncertain terms, that was not accurate.

This soup hails from the Minho Province in northern Portugal, and now that the record has been set straight, we can move on to just how great this simple soup is. This is one of those recipes where you actually hope for horrible weather, so you can enjoy it in all its soul-warming glory. This is so hearty and comforting, you’ll almost forget how good it is for you.

I recommend trying to find Portuguese linguica, but like I said in the video, pretty much any cured, spicy, smoked sausage will work. Andouille would be a great choice, as would a dried chorizo. As usual, feel free to adapt this as you see fit, but I wouldn’t change the recommended russet potatoes.

They have the perfect starchiness for this soup, and produce a wonderfully silky texture. Waxier red potatoes won't work as well, but, having said that, it’s your soup, so do what you want. Just don’t call it Spanish. So, whether you wait for some nasty cold, wet weather or not, I really do hope you give this caldo verde a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 large portions:

1 tablespoon olive oil

12 ounces Linguica sausage
1 onion diced fine, plus a pinch of salt

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, sliced

2 teaspoons salt, plus more as needed

2 quarts chicken broth or water

2 pounds kale, trimmed, chopped, washed and drained

pinch of cayenne, optional

“One-Step” Chicken Noodle Soup – For When You’re Sick of Following Recipes

Or, just plain sick. Yes, I’m a little under the weather, but as they say, the show must go on, and that “show” ended up being me just throwing all my chicken noodle soup ingredients into a pot, crossing my fingers, and hoping for the best.

And while I know this method didn’t produce “the best” chicken noodle soup, I was amazed at how really good it was, and how remarkably close it was to a certain canned variety. I can’t give brand names, but it rhymes with Frogresso.

If you do decide to use this one-step approach, there are a few things you need to pay attention to. You’ll want to use a pasta or noodle that’s at least a large as the fusilli I used so it doesn’t completely break down; as well as, to be sure to dice/slice your veggies nice and thin, so they get tender relatively quickly.

I just used a knife, but I bet you have one of those vegetable slicers somewhere, and this would be the perfect operation to use it for. Above and beyond that, feel free to add in other “medicinal” ingredients, such as garlic, ginger, and hot chilies. But whether you embellish or not, or you’re sick, or feeling just fine, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

1 pound raw or cooked chicken meat (I used 2 cubed-up breasts)

1/2 cup dried fusilli pasta (corkscrew pasta)

1/3 finely minced onions

1 carrot, very thinly sliced

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste

2 teaspoons ketchup

1 fresh thyme sprig, or pinch of dried thyme, optional

4 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley

Potato Leek Soup (aka Vichyssoise) – The Perfect Autumn in San Francisco Soup

This can be a strange time of year for weather in San Francisco. Our climate can suddenly swing from hot and humid, to cold and wet; which makes this potato leek soup a very valuable addition to the recipe repertoire. 

There is nothing better on a chilly, damp day than a steaming bowl of this; and conversely, few things are as delicious, and refreshing on a hot, sweaty day than a bowl of ice cold vichyssoise. As long as you cook the leeks long enough, you can’t go wrong either way.

Since the amounts of leeks and potatoes in yours may not be exactly the same as mine, be prepared to adjust the amount of stock in this recipe. It's always easier to add than reduce, so as long as your potatoes are covered, I’d play it by ear until it’s blended, and go from there. So, no matter what the weather, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

1 1/2 pound leeks (about 4 or 5)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 1/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes

3 to 4 cups chicken broth/vegetable stock, or as needed to adjust the thickness

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup crème fraiche, plus more to garnish (click here for recipe video)

pinch of cayenne pepper

sliced fresh chives for garnish

Just Corn Soup – Finally, Less is More!

This is one of my all-time favorite ways to enjoy fresh, summer corn, and a great lesson in just how little help these sweet ears need. If you’re using perfect, peak season ears, a little butter, salt and pepper is really all you need. And no, water never counts.

In case you’re wondering why we blended half the corn at the beginning, even though we were going to blend it at the end anyway, I have a great reason for that. The first time I made this soup, it came out so perfectly delicious that I’m now afraid to change the steps.

I blended the corn, and started cooking; not knowing it would look so terrible and broken. It tasted amazing, but looked like a horrible mistake, so I ended up giving it a little blitz with the stick blender. That did the trick, and I had something that looked as gorgeous as it tasted.

Would it taste the same if you simmered the corn in the water, and then blended it all at the end? I’m not sure, but my instincts say no. By the way, if you don’t have a stick blender, you’ll have to carefully puree about half the soup in a blender (in batches if necessary), and then add it back in. I really hope you give this amazing corn soup a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes 4 small portions:

3 cups packed fresh sweet white corn kernels (about 3-4 ears)

3 cups cold water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

generously season with salt

cayenne to taste

“Gazpacho Verde” with Burrata Cheese – Swampy, in a Good Way

I’m not crazy about the name for this recipe, but I honestly didn’t know what else to call it, and I blame Twitter for that. Allow me to explain. I saw a photo on there of what I thought was a burrata sitting in a pool of green gazpacho soup, but after a closer look, it turned out to be salsa verde.

That does sound pretty good, but due to the mistaken identity, I was now fixated on the idea of serving this fresh, extra-creamy mozzarella in a bowl of ice cold, cucumber and herb-based gazpacho.

Except, I wanted the cheese to be the star of the dish, with the soup acting almost as a sauce. I thought of calling it something like, “Burrata in a Swamp,” but that didn’t pass the wife test, so long story short, I went with the search engine friendly name you see at the top of the post.

I really wanted a thin, light texture to play off the gooey cheese, so I didn’t add any bread, and also strained it through a fine sieve. The gazpacho seems colder, and more intense this way, and in my opinion works better than a thicker version would. So, whether you’re going to do this with the cheese or not, I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredient for 4 portions “Gazpacho Verde” with Burrata:

8 ounces burrata cheese (1/4 cup per serving)

3 cups sliced English cucumber (about one large)

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons picked fresh oregano leaves

1 cup packed picked basil leaves

1/4 to 1/3 cup seasoned *rice vinegar, to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

pinch cayenne pepper

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup water, plus more as needed

*If using regular rice vinegar, season to taste with salt and sugar. You can also use white wine or sherry vinegar, and do the same.

Stracciatella Soup – For When You’re 'Tore Up From the Floor Up'

You hear stracciatella often referred to as, “Italian egg drop soup,” which is fine, but knowing the name actually means little, torn rags, or shreds, works so much better metaphorically. 

When you’ve been run ragged, stracciatella is always there for you. After a long, infuriating day at work, you want something fast, filling, and comforting; ideally made with ingredients you already have on hand. This is all that, and less.

Sure, you could order some unhealthy, and expensive take-out, but that’s just a shame spiral waiting to happen. Better to beat up a few eggs with some cheese, and boil up the last of that homemade chicken stock, you made using this video.

By the way, if you’re a normal person, and don’t have homemade broth in the freezer, this works perfectly well with a high-quality, packaged broth. As you eat this, hopefully with some nice crusty bread, imagine all those little “rags” floating in the bowl are all your torn-up problems, both real and imagined. They were there, and then they were gone. You just won, with soup. I hope you give this stracciatella a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes 2 large or 4 appetizer sized portions:

6 cups nice rich chicken broth, seasoned to taste

3 large eggs

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons semolina flour

1/2 ounce Parmigiano Reggiano (about 1/2 cup if grated on a microplane)

1/2 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1/2 cup if grated on a microplane)

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

pinch cayenne

pinch nutmeg
olive oil and pepper flakes to garnish

Tuscan Bean Soup – Cheer Up!

Our grandparents called them the winter blues, but nowadays we know this condition as Seasonal Affective Disorder; a melancholy scientifically proven to be caused by shorter, darker days. 

Since fall and winter are full of those, we’re going to need some coping strategies, and this hearty Tuscan bean soup is one of the more effective. There’s just something about that combo of smooth, silky soup, and crunchy, crispy croutons that makes everything seem okay. 

Speaking of shorter days, this recipe is also a fantastic base for creating even more substantial weeknight meals. Things like sausage, peppers, and/or maybe a handful of greens, always works in this.

I tried a new method prepping our veggies; pureeing them instead of dicing. I thought this might save time, possibly extract more flavor, and quicken the cooking. Hey, two out of three aren’t bad! It was faster than dicing, and the soup only had to simmer for 15 minutes, but I didn’t think the flavor was quite as good as the classic diced veggies method.

Either way, this soup is delicious, and guaranteed to fog up your kitchen windows. Smiley face sold separately. I really hope you give this Tuscan bean soup a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

3 cloves garlic
*As stated in the post, I prefer diced veggies to the ground ones I tried in the video, and if you do go for the traditional method and cut your vegetables in small cubes, you'll have to simmer you soup for about 30 minutes, or until they are sweet and very tender.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary

1/2 teaspoon picked thyme leaves

2 (15-oz) cans white kidney beans aka cannellini beans

4 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream

1/2 lemon, juiced

- Garnish with fresh bread cubes fried golden in olive oil, tossed with Parmigiano Reggiano, and fresh Italian parsley.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup – Legend of the Fall

This roasted butternut squash soup is probably my favorite fall soup of all time, which is why I’m so shocked we haven’t posted a video for it before. It’s cheap, easy, nutritious, and absolutely delicious; and should probably go into the once-a-week rotation for a few months at least.

As I mention in the video, there’s really no great reason to simmer this for an hour like I did, but I think it does help harmonize the flavors, not to mention humidify your home. A cold, rainy day just looks better through steamed-up windows.

If you’re feeling like something a bit more substantial, try this topped with a handful of crispy bacon. Of course, I wouldn’t say no to some diced ham either. Add a hard roll, and you can’t get a better autumn meal. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

For the sage brown butter:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

6-8 large sage leaves (or a lot of tiny leaves like I used in the video)

For the soup:

3 1/2 pound butternut squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 chopped onion

1 cup sliced carrots

6 garlic cloves, peeled
sage-infused brown butter

2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

6 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or other vinegar)

cayenne to taste

creme fraiche and chive to garnish