By adding a puff pastry top, Chef Albert Bouchard transforms an easy autumn vegetable soup into a first course suitable for company. The puff pastry seals in all the aromas until diners breach the flaky caps with their spoons. Note that you will need individual ovenproof soup crocks, similar to the type used for French onion soup. The diameter on top should be no more than 5 inches to have the proper ratio of soup to pastry. Chef Bouchard attended the 2006 Workshop.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the squash half, cut side down, in a pie tin or small baking dish with 1/2 inch of water. Bake, uncovered, until the flesh can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 40 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary. When cool, scoop the flesh out of the skin. You should have about 1 cup.
Step 2
Pierce the sweet potato in several places with a fork. Place it in a pie tin or on a baking sheet and bake alongside the squash until tender when pierced, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the skin. You should have about 1 cup.
Step 3
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the brandy and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Add the squash, sweet potato, ginger, cinnamon, and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
Step 4
In a blender or food processor, puree the contents of the pot until smooth. Pour into a clean pot. Whisk in the cream. Thin with additional stock if needed to achieve a pleasing soup consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool to room temperature.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the puff pastry to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut 6 rounds, each 2 inches larger in diameter than the top of the soup bowl (for a 5-inch bowl, cut a 7-inch round). To guide you, invert a bowl onto the flattened pastry and cut around it. You can gather and reroll the scraps once. Put the rounds on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Step 6
Divide the soup among 6 ovenproof bowls. Brush the rim of each bowl with egg wash. Cover with a round of pastry and press the pastry firmly around the sides so the top is taut, like a drum. Make sure there are no cracks in the pastry. Brush the tops lightly with egg wash.
Step 7
Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.
Step 8
Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay Reserve or another full-bodied, oak-aged white wine.
