The First Course Made Easy!

Today I am taking some time to discuss an easy first course for the fall season.  A fantastic starter for a fall menu that is quick and easy is Butternut Squash Bisque.  The flavors of this soup are extraordinary when simmered together and really give you that warm fall feeling.  Let's be honest, we all love the summer, but that cozy fall atmosphere is very hard to beat when transitioning from shorts and sandals to hot cocoa and sweaters!  Let's check out how to whip this bisque up quick and faster than a hurry:
The Goods
-4 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
-1/2 cup diced onion
-3/4 cup diced carrot
-1 tbs. olive oil
-1 tbs. butter
-3 cups vegetable stock
-salt and pepper to taste
-nutmeg to taste
-1/2 cup cream (Optional.  Use just enough to add to the creamy texture)

The Course of Action
-It is always a good option to peel and dice you squash ahead of time.  I did this the night before just because I knew I was going to be getting home late the next night.
-Heat your olive oil and butter in a large stock pot and add your diced onion.  Saute the onions until soft but have not colored yet.
-Mix in the diced carrots and cubed squash.  Toss it all together and saute for about 2 minutes.
-Add your stock and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg as you like.  Bring this to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the squash and carrots are tender when poked with a knife.
-Move your soup to a food processor and blend it until you have pureed all the solid vegetables and the mixture is nice and smooth.
-Place the puree back into your stock pot and reintroduce it to heat.  Do not bring the bisque to a boil.
-Add the cream to the bisque and serve garnished with a sprig of rosemary. You can even take a bit of sour cream and whisk it in to create that white/orange wave appearance, or sprinkle some crumbled gruyere cheese on top and serve with nice slice of crusty French bread.

This is a fantastic and quick way to get your friends and family into the seasonal spirit and kick your menu off with bang.
You can serve this starter with a great crisp chardonnay, an "old world" chardonnay (buttery and creamy), Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio, or even a sweet Reisling (commonly drank as an aperitif to stimulate the appetite like Cointreau).
Today I am using this as part of my lunch along with a cabbage salad with pomegranate seeds, hardboiled egg, orange slices, and onion vinaigrette.
I hope this inspires you to give it a try even for a quick and filling meal.  Soups are the easiest dish to create because they allow you to just toss things in and stop when you like the taste.
 
Thanks for reading and wishing you best eating.
Bon Appétit!