Kabocha Squash Soup With Creme Fraiche Caramelized Granny Smith Apple And Madras Curry Cotton Candy Recipes

KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP WITH CREME FRAICHE, CARAMELIZED GRANNY SMITH APPLE AND MADRAS CURRY COTTON CANDY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Roast kabocha squash whole for approximately 45 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and set aside until cool. Peel skin and discard seeds keeping only the flesh. Combine flesh in a medium sauce pot with the chicken stock and heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. With an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth. Place mixture back on stove and keep simmering for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add honey, cinnamon sticks and star anise and allow to steep for 1 hour. Strain and keep warm.
• Peel apple and cut it into 12 equal size cube shapes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon superfine sugar among the apple cubes and broil or brulee until golden brown.
• Put a dollop of creme fraiche on the bottom of a soup bowl, and top with 1 caramelized apple cube.
• In a household or commercial cotton candy maker, add 1 tablespoon of superfine sugar and make 12 equal size balls of cotton candy. Dust curry powder equally on the cotton candy.
• To serve: Pour soup tableside and then spoon cotton candy onto soup.

ROAST KABOCHA SOUP WITH LEMON GRASS CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season inside of the kabocha with thyme, salt and pepper and rub with 4 tablespoons oil. Place onto a roasting pan flesh side up, and roast until caramelized and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• In a small saucepan combine the cream with the lemon grass and reduce by half. Strain into another small pan and hold warm.
• In a medium pot over high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the carrots, onion and leek and cook until browned. Add the hot stock, reduce the heat to medium, and season, to taste.
• When the squash is done, remove the cooked flesh from the squash and add to the pot. Transfer the contents of the pot, in batches, to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a second pot and reduce until desired consistency is achieved. Season, to taste.
• Serve soup in a warm soup bowl, and gently swirl in a dollop of the cream reduction. Garnish with chives.