Butternut Squash Soup! Great, but what's the main dish?

Question

I was inspired to make a butternut squash soup. I am going to serve it as a starter/side dish for Sunday dinner. What can I pair with it? We do not eat pork.

Answer

We enjoyed the version with ginger two nights ago. 

Agreed this soup needs a side. 

We did "BLOTS" - our version of BLTs with onion and mayonnaise. At other times we've had grilled cheese/onion sandwiches. We often make up a Greek Salad instead.

Answer

I like to puree white beans and a decent amount of olive oil into simple soups to make them more hearty. 
But yeah, with three boys you'll need something else too! 
I'm thinking a panini style sandwich, there's a reason soup and sandwiches are always paired together. Something like a grainy hearty bread with a young manchego or fontina or swiss, a thick layer of dijon, some spinach or arugala, tomato if they like that on hot sandwiches. Or do an open face hot sandwich with similar ingredients.
 Would avocado toast go over with them? Thick bread toasted well with a pile of smashed avocado/flakey salt/chili flakes/squeeze of lemon or lime kind of thing.

Answer

Grilled or pan sauteed chicken breast with use a few fresh or dried sage leaves with sliced apples and onions,salt pepper etc for flavor, deglaze pan with a white wine or apple juice,serve over wild rice and or side of roasted broccoli or brussel sprouts, simple salad with a cider vinaigrette dressing. Plenty for hungry boys

Answer

Sticking with the butternut squash theme, try this recipe.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Chicken Marsala Filling

Ingredients
3 Tbsp butternut squash puree (gave the directions for cooking the whole squash) 
2 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, excess fat removed, rinsed and dried
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped, this will be divided between the filling and sauce
2 large or 4 small garlic cloves, minced, about 2 Tbsp, these will be divided between the filling and sauce
6 oz whole criminis, lightly rinsed off and dried, these will be divided between the filling and sauce
4 Tbsp butter, divided
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 Tbsp and bench flour as needed
3 eggs
3 cup chicken stock in total
1 cup marsala in total
S&P - Kosher salt please!
Water for sealing the ravioli

Suggested equipment
Pasta Machine

Dough
Heat oven to 400 F. Cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place each 1/2 of the butternut squash on a foil lined sheet pan, skin side up. Pour 1/4 cup water into the pan, making sure to get some under the squash. Bake at 400 F until the flesh is tender, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and place it in a strainer/collander set over a bowl and refrigerate over night to drain excess liquid. Puree squash in a food processor. In a bowl, mix 3 Tbsp squash puree with the eggs (freeze the rest for later use). Put 2 cups flour on your bench/board and form a well in the center. Add egg mixture to the well. Using a fork, mix flour into the egg mixture, a little bit at a time, until the dough starts to form, then mix in the remaining flour. Knead until a soft dough is formed, adding flour if needed until the dough is not sticky. Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and let rest at least 30 minutes or until needed. Divide the rested dough into thirds, cover until needed. Flatten one of the dough pieces into a 1/2" round. Coat each side in flour, shake off excess and run through first setting on pasta machine. Lightly flour, fold into thirds to square off the dough and run through the same setting again. Move machine to next setting, run dough thru machine, adding flour as needed. We take the dough thru the setting until we reach # 5, cutting the dough in half crosswise after #4. Each half is run thru #5, lightly floured and set aside. Repeat until all dough is used.



Filling
Coarsely chop 1/2 the criminis. Pound out chicken thighs to1/4". Place a large sauce pan over medium high heat. When hot, add 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil to pan. When butter has melted and starts to bubble, salt and pepper both sides of chicken then add to pan. Cook until lightly brown on both sides, remove and set aside. Add 1/2 the chopped onion and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp garlic and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms cook, stirring often until they release their liquid and mixture is almost dry. Add 1-1/2 cups chicken stock and 1/2 cup marsala and heat to a simmer, scraping the bottom to loosen any fond. Add the chicken back to the pan, simmer until almost all liquid is gone, stirring often and turning chicken. Set aside to cool. Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Shred or chop chicken coarsely. Add chicken and vege mixture to food processor, with metal blade and pulse until finely chopped. Don't over process! Let mixture come to room temperature before stuffing ravioli. You can use the mixture right from the fridge if you made it the day before. 

Sauce
Thinly slice the remaining criminis. Place a large sauce pan over medium high heat. When hot, add 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp olive oil to pan. When butter has melted and starts to bubble, add the remaining chopped onion and saute until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms until they release their liquid. Add 2 Tbsp flour spreading evenly over the mixture. Stir continuously to cook the rawness out of the flour. Add remaining stock and marsala, stirring until the sauce slightly thickens. If sauce is too thick you can add more stock or marsala. Personally, I’d add more marsala. S&P to taste. Serve immediately over cooked ravioli.

Answer

I just did this for a dinner party a few weeks ago . . . had the soup for a starter (with pepitas on top). Main course was a roast chicken rubbed with herb butter . . . I used some of the same herbs I used in the soup to tie the two courses together (sage, thyme). I also served a fall salad with honeycrisp apples, white cheddar and pepitas. And then just some crusty bread on the side.

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Butternut Squash Soup! Great, but what's the main dish?

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