Butternut Squash Purée With Black Trumpet Mushrooms

by Chef Bruce Woods

Sometimes it is difficult to find black trumpet mushrooms. You can use chanterelles, but shiitakes have the same dark look, which complements the soup colour.

One 2-pound butternut squash
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups chopped Spanish onions
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup Marsala
6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
5 ounces (140 grams) black trumpet mushrooms (or substitute)
½ teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons crème fraîche

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds and brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place squash halves on a baking sheet and cover with parchment paper to prevent colouring. Roast for about 40 minutes or until tender. Let cool, scoop out flesh and chop coarsely.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 6 minutes or until translucent. Add wine and Marsala, turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 4 minutes or until reduced by 3/4. Add vegetable stock and bring back to a boil. Add chopped, roasted squash and simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes or until softened. Add sage and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Place half of soup in a food processor and purée until smooth.

Divide coarse soup between 8 bowls and pour in puréed soup. Garnish with sautéed mushrooms and top with 1 teaspoon crème fraîche.

Wine pairing by Beppi Crosariol:

As many Spaniards attest, sherry is not just for fireside sipping. It goes remarkably well with all kinds of food, not least this decadent purée. Spain’s magnificent fortified wine comes in a range of styles and shades, from clear and bone dry to mahogany-coloured and syrupy-sweet. Save the dry fino and manzanilla styles for salty tapas. Try this dish with a semisweet amontillado or oloroso. One great and widely available value: Gonzalez Byass Nutty Solera Oloroso. Alternatively, consider a white Burgundy or New World chardonnay from California, Chile or Niagara.