Trendy or not

When I was a caterer we had to be on the cutting edge of food trends. We wouldn't dare serve anything that was "out". I remember when I first started my company quiche was all the rage and then suddenly, poof! - gone! No one would dare mention its name for a very long time.


Food presentation was always a priority as well.  We went from arranging each pea pod and each tiny veggie on a dinner plate so that the entree became a work of art (try that for 100 plates!)to food balanced on itself so that it looked like taking the first bite would tumble the whole thing into a heap!  In trendy restaurants today you get the whole gamut.  Form vs. Function...

I have always loved comfort foods and was so delighted when regional American foods came in - the ultimate comfort foods - because they were less pretentious and more like the foods I grew up on in my hometown of Los Angeles.  At my house we ate pot roast, meatloaf, baked chicken, spaghetti (not called pasta then!) and other pretty basic dishes.  I loved every bite.  My mom, who was a gourmet and who appreciated foods from all over the world, cooked simple, well-balanced meals. 

My recipes range from soup to nuts - some simple, some down-home and some from recipes that focus on the unusual and international. If you have a taste for something you want to share, you are so welcome to share.

Today I would like to share one of my favorites:

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

One butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" pieces, about 5-6 Cups
One Qt. Chicken broth or stock
2 - 4 Tb butter, unsalted
2 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 or 2 star anise, ground (careful:  less is more)
Ground ginger to taste
Salt to taste

Serve with croutons or toasted squash seeds on the side.

Cook shallots and garlic with a tiny bit of anise in the  butter in a heavy sauce pan over medium heat, stirring, until shallots are softened.  Add cubed squash and salt and saute until squash softens, about 6 or so minutes.  Add broth and simmer, covered, until squash is very tender,  about 20 - 25 minutes.

Puree soup in blender working in small batches with the hot liquid, until smooth.  Be careful - hot!  Put into a fresh pot to keep warm, taste and re-season.  Serve with toasted squash seeds or croutons.