Bucatini and Meatballs

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces-just good food from fresh ingredients." Julia Child There is much to be said for simplicity in all things, especially in food. As much as I love being able to master a complicated recipe, I am finding myself experiencing greater pleasure in making 'simpler' food taste and look wondrously jaw-dropping. Who does not want to serve their family and friends a simple memorable meal? The kind that lingers on their palates and memories for days, weeks, or even years; where the anticipation causes almost unbearable heart-racing excitement, and never ever fails to disappoint. Don't we all?

Yet, often when we find that 'perfect' meal, we (or more to the point when I) are reluctant to make it with a high degree of frequency. Are we trying too hard not to be characterized as being 'set in our ways'? Do we have one set of predictability values for 'life' and another for 'food'? Or do we believe there can be 'too much of a good thing'? Maybe, maybe, and definitely not. Ironically, it is almost heart breaking when our favorite restaurants is out of that one special we never seem to tire of. 

With life pulling us all in a million different directions, there is often only one day of the week where everyone can sit down together as a family, immediate or extended. Where everyone lingers at the table because both the food and conversation are that good. In my world that day would be Sunday. While I am not quite ready to commit to making the same weekly meal, I think I finally have come around to the idea that a 'monthly' meal tradition (aka 'the house special) would be a good thing. And for me this would something satisfying like a large platter of pasta and meatballs tossed in homemade tomato sauce (or gravy depending on your frame of reference). 

The pasta sauce used in this Bucatini and Meatballs is slightly different than the ones used in the Three Cheese Baked Rigatoni with Spinach, Salsa Marinara aka Marinara Sauce, Penne Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce or Roasted Eggplant Parmesan. With the exception of the fresh tomato sauce, there are some similarities between all of these sauces. I jumped on the canned San Marzano tomatoes bandwagon awhile ago and don't anticipate jumping off anytime in the foreseeable future. To give more texture to a sauce I prefer to use a 2:1 crushed to diced tomatoes ratio. Whether she intended to or not, chef, television personality, and cookbook author Alex Guarnaschelli convinced me to use Aleppo pepper instead of red pepper flakes in my tomato sauces. Onions, garlic, kosher salt, pepper, and fresh basil remain as key ingredients. The one significant change in this sauce was the addition of two tablespoons of butter at the end to give it a velvety finish. I have now officially become 'there must be butter in the tomato sauce' convert. 

The savoriness of these meatballs comes from the use of beef, pork and veal. Some will say adding veal  to meatballs may be a 'waste' as beef and pork will overpower the delicate flavor of veal. But I prefer not to listen to them. 

Baked or fried? The answer is 'it depends on whose meatballs you loved eating during your formative years, which chefs you hold up on your culinary pedestal, or how much of your discretionary time you like using for cleaning up the kitchen.' Regardless whether your choice is made based upon preference, heritage, taste, flavor, and/or food chemistry, most of us belong to one meatball making mafia or the other. Although there are always a few outliers who refuse to take a strong stance (aka those who believe meatballs aren't eligible to be put to the black/white decision making matrix). While watching a food show one day, one of my childhood friends, who happens to be Italian, was aghast when the chef used the baking method for the meatballs. The limits of a friendship stemming back to elementary school may have been tested had she been in my kitchen while I was making these meatballs. 

Whether it's because there is no detectable trace of Italian heritage in my DNA, I decided to ignore the meatball making advice of both my childhood friend and favorite chefs. I decided to go with the baking method. And after baking them, I had to ask myself 'would I bake them again?'. And the answer is...drum roll please.... 'it depends'. 

On the advice of the chef creating this particular meatball recipe, I baked the meatballs at 350 degrees but for 12 instead of 10 minutes. When braised in the sauce, they were tender, moist and had really good flavor. However, if I baked them again (and I might), I would increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees to get an even darker, oven browned sear to them (and still bake them for somewhere between 10-12 minutes). But I am also open to frying them briefly before finishing them in the sauce. If the amount of their flavor exceeds that of the baked meatballs, then I will seek to become an official member of the first fry, then braise meatball mafia. That is, if I will be allowed to join.

With the stove set to simmer, the baked meatballs were braised in the sauce for almost 45 minutes. While this length of time may seem 'too long', these meatballs remained moist and the release of their juices deepened the flavor of the sauce.

There are a number of pasta options for this dish. I happen to love the texture and look of bucatini. But linguini, spaghetti, spaghettini, fettuccine, tagliatelle, or even penne would pair well with the tomato sauce and meatballs. 

Whenever given the choice between using fresh basil and dried basil, my preference is go with the fresh basil. Yes I know, I have a strong basil bias yet I can't make a meatball making decision.

Before tossing the pasta into the sauce, I removed the meatballs to ensure the pasta would be coated as well as to avoid breaking up any of those 'baked' meatballs. What I should have done (but didn't) was remove about a cup of the sauce before adding in the pasta in order to have a bowl of extra sauce at the table. Next time. In addition to bringing that bowl of extra sauce, don't forget the freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano.

After tossing and plating the pasta, I drizzled it with some extra-virgin olive oil and some additional julienned basil.

A platter of Bucatini and Meatballs, a loaf of bread, a large tossed salad, some really good wine, and a great dessert may just be the perfect, satisfying, regularly served Sunday dinner. I am pretty sure this meal would never get boring. Buon appetito! 

Recipe
Bucatini and Meatballs (slight adaptation to Daniel Bellino Zwicke's Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe in his cookbook Sunday Sauce: When Italian Americans Cook)

Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
2 - 28 ounce cans of San Marzano crushed tomatoes
1 - 28 ounce can of San Marzano diced tomatoes
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Meatballs
1 pound ground beef (ground sirloin or ground chuck)
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
4 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 onion, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tablespoons plain bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

One pound package of bucatini, linguini, fettuccine, or spaghetti
Extra-virgin olive oil for finishing

Directions
Tomato Sauce
1. In a large saucepan, heat extra-virgin olive oil. Add onions and sauté over a low flame for 3-4 minutes (or until they begin to soften). Add chopped garlic and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and/or burning.
2. Add crushed and diced tomatoes. Turn up heat to medium.When sauce begins to bubble, turn heat back down to simmer. Continue cooking for approximately 45 minutes. Note: Stir occasionally.
3. Add salt, pepper and fresh basil. Stir in two tablespoons of butter. 
Notes: If not adding meatballs, remove from heat and remove one cup of sauce. In pan, toss remaining sauce with drained pasta. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Meatballs
1. In a small bowl, combine milk, eggs and breadcrumbs. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, add beef, pork, veal, chopped parsley, finely minced onion, grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, salt and pepper.
3. Add egg/milk/bread crumb mixture and mxi well with your hands.
4. Shape meatballs into 1 1/2 inch balls. For uniformity use an ice cream scoop.
5. If baking the meatballs, coat the bottom of a baking sheet with olive oil. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 10-12 minutes (meatballs should be lightly browned).
6. If frying, fry meatballs in olive oil only to a get a browned crust on the entire meatball. Cook meatballs in batches. 
7. Add meatballs to sauce and simmer over low heat for approximately 45 minutes.

Assembly
1. Remove meatballs from sauce, placing temporarily in a bowl.
2. Remove one cup of sauce from pan. Set aside.
3. Cook pasta slightly al dente. Drain pasta (reserve pasta liquid) and toss in tomato sauce. If pasta is not well coated, add pasta liquid (1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency).
4. Transfer pasta to platter and arrange meatballs on top/sides of pasta.
5. Finish dish by drizzling extra-virgin olive oil and additional julienned basil over top. 
6. Serve immediately with side of sauce and freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese.

The mid-October landscape at Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois.

Fruity Pebbles Treats

Posting recipes from Thomas Keller and a highly modified, over the top version of rice krispie treats in the same week was an unintentional juxtaposition. Or was it? Maybe I was subliminally revealing my sometimes going from one extreme to the other nature. Here's just a glimpse at what I mean. Is it possible one could justify living without a washer and dryer for more than eighteen years while at the same time not being able to resist buying a painted antique cupboard? Yes, it is quite possible. Is it reasonable one could be responsible for having a strong grasp, tight hold on an organizational budget of more than a hundred and twenty million dollars a year and be rather loose with personal discretionary funds. Yes, it more than reasonable. Is it logical for one to maintain a fierce loyalty to their no longer in existence college team's mascot (Chief Illiniwick) yet embark on the risky venture of changing the 'face' of a team's mascot held dear to a school community? No, it wasn't logical. Welcome to my world. One sometimes highly predictable and other times slightly unforeseeable.

Regardless of whether or not I have any culinary credibility in the extremely crowded food blogging world, I wanted you to have the recipe for these almost effortless to make, certain to appeal to the inner child in all of us (or most of us), lucky Fruity Pebbles Treats. It just so happens they fall into the 'How easy is that?' category, a phrase coined by the iconic, never pretentious, food goddess, Ina Garten. And would anyone ever question Ina's credibility? Highly unlikely.

Even more important than how easy peasy or how addictively scrumptious they are, I discovered they are lucky, really lucky. Skeptical of this discovery? Would you put your skepticism aside if I told you they set off the Cubs historic three post-season game winning streak, clinching a division series on their home field? Something that hasn't happened in like forever. Think it may be a bit reckless to make the not so subtle claim that bringing Fruity Pebbles Treats to a Cubs viewing party on Saturday played a role in this Division series winning streak? Would that be more or less risky than Stephen Colbert proclaiming the Cubs will win the World Series? Maybe, maybe not. Depends on whether or not you really believe in possibility, luck, or subscribe to the belief life is too short to not take a few risks.

"Go big or go home. Because it's true. What do you have to lose?" (Eliza Dushku) There is no room in either the Rice Krispie or Fruity Pebble Treats world for thin, flat, on the dry side bars. Especially when you have the option of creating big, thick, chewy ones. And now you do! Hey, it's already your lucky day and you haven't even made them yet.

Three pounds of miniature marshmallows give these Fruity Pebbles Treats volume, flavor, and the most perfect chewy texture. Note: You will melt 2 2/3 pounds of the marshmallows and stir in the remaining 1/3 pound into the treat mixture.

Due to the volume of marshmallows, butter and Fruity Pebbles in this recipe, a large heavy bottomed round Dutch pan (at least 5 1/2 quarts) will help to ensure the marshmallows do not burn as well as enable you to stir all of ingredients in one pan. However, I can be a bit messy at times, so some Fruity Pebbles found there way onto the stove and floor, in spite of using an even larger cast-iron pan. If you don't happen to have one, use your deepest, heaviest pan to avoid scorching the marshmallows as they melt.

The use of a 9"x12"x2" inch metal pan will give these Fruity Pebbles Treats their wow factor thickness. To prepare the pan, lined with parchment paper, lightly butter the paper and sides and finish with a thin layer of Fruity Pebbles. The 'dry' layer of the cereal makes the removal of the paper much easier and reduces any possible stickiness.

After cutting the treats into whatever size you like, dip the cut sides in a bowl filled with some crushed cereal. This helps to creates a finished treat, one you can stack on a platter or package in cellophane bags without the worry of any 'sticking'. 

Like the Chicago Cubs, these Fruity Pebbles Treats are 'winners'! No one in your family or circle of friends should have to wait forever to have them (just ask any long time, loyal Cubs fan what is feels like to wait). And hey, don't forget they just may have a luck factor associated with them. Possibly not unlike the luck eating grapes, pork, or hoppin' john at the start of a new year has been known to bring to those who believe they have the power of good fortune. Cub fans dared to believe 'again' this year. Whether or not you think they put too much faith in possibility, just look where it got them. 

Recipe
Fruity Pebbles Treats (slight modification to the Over the Top Rice Krispie Treats)
Makes 18 large bars
Updated July 2022

Ingredients
3 pounds (1,358g) miniature marshmallows, divided
1 pound 11.5 oz/779g) Fruity Pebbles cereal, plus additional for lining pan and topping, divided (remove 2 cups for preparing the bottom of the pan and for topping the Fruity Pebbles Treats
14-15 (198-212g) Tablespoons unsalted butter

Very generous pinch of flaky sea salt

Directions
1. Line a 9"x12" metal pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter the parchment paper and sides of pan. Using some of the reserved 2 cups of Fruity Pebbles cereal, sprinkle a thin later on the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
2. In a large, heavy bottomed (preferably cast iron) Dutch oven, melt the butter. 
3. Add 2 2/3 pounds marshmallows and stirring continuously until melted.
4. Remove from heat and immediately add all of the Fruity Pebbles (except what had been reserved). Using a spatula, stir until cereal is fully coated. Stir in remaining 1/3 pound of miniature marshmallows.
5. Transfer mixture to prepared pan. 
6. Sprinkle a thin layer of the Fruity Pebbles cereal on top. Spray or butter a sheet of parchment paper. Lay on top of the pan and press the Fruity Pebbles Treats down firmly.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool (at least 4 hours or overnight).
8. In a small bowl, crush 1 cup of Fruity Pebbles cereal, slightly crushed
9. Cut treats into squares or bars. Dip cut sides into the crushed cereal.
10. Serve and enjoy!
11. If not serving immediately, wrap treats individually in cellophane bags or in plastic wrap.

Notes: (1) I used the Mega Size (27.5 ounce box of Fruity Pebbles to make the treats.

Images of the historic cotton mill in McKinney, Texas. Built in 1910, it ultimately became the largest denim manufacturer in the world. The now abandoned mill closed its doors in 1969.

The French Laundry's Cranberry and Apple Kuchen with Hot Cream Sauce

Upon returning home after spending twenty-seven days working on a project in Saudi Arabia, the person who shall remain nameless asked 'is there any cake?'. My response was 'what?, cake? did I miss that homecoming request?' As those words were passing my lips, the following 'best if they stayed unspoken' ones were running through my head 'well maybe if you had been able to convince the customs agent to let you out of the country with the jar of preserved lemons there would have been cake!' In anticipation of letting me know one of my two 'could you please bring home?' requests was not going to be fulfilled, he sent a text message saying the beautiful jar of preserved lemons he went out of his way to find would not be one of them. It was probably a good thing I wasn't the one trying to get preserved lemons out of the country as more than likely I wouldn't have gotten out either. But once I saw the scarves he bought at the markets in Bahrain and Damman, I thought 'I need to make a cake'.

Truth be told, I had been thinking about making The French Laundry's Cranberry and Apple Kuchen with Hot Cream Sauce. But now there was an added incentive to go from thinking about it to actually making it. And sooner rather than later. As relatively uncomplicated as the recipe seemed, I could not help but think any recipe coming out of Thomas Keller's The French Laundry Cookbook might not be as simple as it looked. 

The recipe is often called 'Sally Schmidt's Cranberry and Apple Kuchen with Hot Cream Sauce', paying homage to one of the original owners of The French Laundry in Yountville, California. Building on the vision and reputation Sally and her husband Don created, Thomas Keller's passion and flair for food further transformed The French Laundry onto one on everyone's bucket list of must eat at restaurants. Along with Keller's reputation for creating beautiful, absolutely to die for food, comes his reputation for creating recipes sometimes viewed as intimidating to even the most adventurous of home cooks. But in an unseemingly, unpredictable fashion, Keller has also been known to share recipes that make his food accessible without sacrificing any of its' mouthwatering flavor. 

The Cranberry and Apple Kuchen with Hot Cream Sauce happened to be one of them.

The original recipe calls for the use of either Gravenstein or Golden Delicious Apples. Since Gravensteins are grown primarily on the west coast (and for some reason they haven't yet made their way to this side of the Mississippi River), I supposed the kuchen would have to be made with Golden Delicious apples. Only I am not a big fan of this not too tart, less sweet apple variety. Looking at the spectrum of apple flavors, I debated about whether to use a different apple. As if I know better than Keller. Rather than prolonging the decision, following the recommendation of the master seemed to be the right thing to do.

Other than needing a nine inch spring form pan, there are no hard to find, crazy expensive ingredients in this kuchen.

Instead of using my stand mixer, I used the hand mixer (with great results). After creaming the butter, sugar and egg, the dry ingredients and milk are added in alternately. Just be mindful not over mix the batter.

The original recipe calls for the use of 3 to 4 apples. My Golden Delicious apples were on the large size so I used only two of them. Depending on the size of your apples and the design of the apple slices on the kuchen, you may need 3 - 4 of them. Cutting your apples into 1/4 inch wedges after you make the batter prevents them from turning brown.

The use of a springform pan makes it possible to unmold the baked cake with ease. After the batter is spooned into the pan (evening out the surface with an offset spatula), the apples are pressed into the batter (cut side down) forming a bicycle spoke like pattern.

Fresh cranberries line the perimeter and fill the center of the kuchen. Note: If using smaller Golden Delicious apples you may want to create a double spoke pattern and place the cranberrries in rings between the apple slices.

Before placing the kuchen in a preheated 350 degree oven, sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Baking time is 40 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean inserted in the center of the cake. My less than precise way of testing for doneness is pressing lightly on the cake. If it quickly bounces back and the sides have begun to pull away from the edge of the pan, it is usually done.

Allow the kuchen to cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan and transferring to a platter. If you are not planning on serving the cake immediately (like as in when you have someone who has been waiting 27 days for one of your cakes), allow the kuchen to cool completely in the pan.

Dusting the Cranberry and Apple Kuchen with confectionary sugar is optional, but the sugar gave it a beautiful finishing touch. Conversely, the hot cream sauce should not be considered optional. Butter, whipping cream and sugar come together to create the most heavenly of sauces. Light, yet rich in flavor, it is the perfect compliment to the kuchen. 

I was wrong to even for a millisecond to second guess Keller on the recommendation to use Golden Delicious apples. The tartness of the cranberries combined with the subtle flavor of the apples was kuchen perfection.

If there was only apple cake you were going to make this year, it should be The French Laundry's Cranberry and Apple Kuchen with Hot Cream Sauce. It's versatility makes it a breakfast indulgence, a most satisfying afternoon tea dessert, and/or a blissful end to a dinner. Making this kuchen was a reminder to avoid making assumptions about anything, anyone, and especially any one of Keller's recipes. I can hardly wait to make this kuchen again. This first one lasted less than 36 hours (which sans only one slice, there was only one other person was eating it). The next time it will be for my sister and her husband, the two people I know in this world who have actually had a memorable meal at The French Laundry.

Had I made this cake before the person who shall remain nameless left for Saudi Arabia I wonder if he would have creatively found a way to bring the jar of preserved lemons home. Better yet, maybe I should send this cake with him on his next trip. Because one taste of this cake would make it hard for anyone, in any country to refuse a request. Besides some rules were just made to be broken.

Just in case you are looking to put the now in season fresh cranberries to other uses, consider making the Nantucket Cranberry Pie or Cranberry and Dried Fruit Chutney.

Recipe
The French Laundry's Cranberry and Apple Kuchen with Hot Cream Sauce (recipe created by Sally Schmitt, original owner of the French Laundry, and shared in Thomas Keller's The French Laundry Cookbook)

Ingredients
Cake
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for preparing pan
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (recommend King Arthur flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup whole milk or light cream
2 large or 3-4 small Golden Delicious (or Gravenstein) apples
1 cup fresh cranberries
Confectionary sugar for dusting, optional.

Cinnamon Sugar
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Hot Cream Sauce
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter paper and sides of pan. Set aside.
2. In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until well blended. Add egg and mix until mixture is fluffy and lightened in texture.
3. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
4. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to the butter mixture (beginning and ending with flour mixture). Do not overbeat, mix just until the ingredients are combined.
5. Peel and core apples. Slice into 1/4 inch wedges.
6. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Smooth using an offset spatula.
7. Press apple slices, about 1/4 inch apart and core side down, into the batter, working in a circular pattern around the outside edge (like the spokes of a wheel)). 
8. Arrange cranberries in a ring around the edge of the pan and in the center of the apples.
9. Mix together sugar and cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over the kuchen.
10. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of kuchen comes out clean (my baking time was 45 minutes). Set on rack to cool briefly before removing from pan or let cool to room temperature.
11. For the hot cream sauce, melt butter. Add sugar and cream. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat and let sauce simmer for 5-8 minutes, to reduce and slightly thicken. Serve hot/warm sauce with kuchen.

Near the harbor in Portland, Maine on a gray morning.

Harbor in Westport, Massachusetts.

Ocean View from the banks of Bar Harbor, Maine.

Autumn Squash Soup with Apple Cider and Brown Butter

As soon as chilly mornings and nights return, so it seems does our (my) craving for a warm or hot bowl of soup. With no undue disrespect to minestrone or any other broth based soup, there is nothing more satisfying than one having a rich, thick, creamy texture. Especially when the soup's thickness comes as a result of pureeing slowly roasted or sautéed vegetables and not from a roux or heavy cream. The moment I came across the recipe for Autumn Squash Soup with Apple Cider and Brown Butter in the recently released cookbook, Heartlandia: Heritage Recipes from Portland's The Country Cat (Adam and Jackie Sappington with Ashley Gartland), I had a feeling it would be one of those soups having a velvety, flavorful richness to it. What I didn't know was how insanely, want to lick the bowl in public, hope there is enough for a second helping, delicious it would be. In just one spoonful, it went onto my 'last meal' worthy shortlist. Only I have no intention of waiting until that last meal to make this soup again.

"You can't eat this soup standing up, your knees buckle." (Jerry Seinfeld in "The Soup Nazi"). This Autumn Squash Soup with Apple Cider and Brown Butter is not just a knee-buckling soup. It is the kind of soup that could create world peace. Yes, it is that good. 

The flavors of the kabocha squash, honey crisp apple, onion, fennel, garlic, sage, thyme, fresh apple cider and maple syrup are deepened by one simple ingredient. Browned butter. Whether you are making something sweet or savory, the magical qualities of browned butter take any dish to new levels of taste and complexity. If it hasn't already, it should be given Holy Grail status in the food world.

Enticed by some incredible photographs posted by a friend (and one who I have yet to meet), I have been longing to travel to the Northwest, Washington in particular. Other than attending a conference in  Seattle a lifetime ago, I have never really explored the beauty in that part of the country. And now after reading through the recipes in Heartlandia, I need to, no I have to, I absolutely must, add Portland to my list of must-go sooner rather than later places. So I asked the person who shall remain nameless if he would be willing to give up some of his miles so I could head out there sometime next month. He was. But then I thought, I should wait until late spring and maybe I could convince one of my close friends (the one causing me to drool from just the photos of an amazing brown butter cookie bakery she discovered recently in California) to meet me there for an adventure. If I bring her some of this soup on my next trip out to visit her I am thinking she won't be able to say no. I'll make sure to bring along some great wine from either Oregon or Washington just in case.

There was always baked acorn squash on my childhood Thanksgiving dinner table.  Despite my father's best efforts and the enticement of a butter and brown sugar topping, we could not be swayed into eating it. In retrospect this would have been one of his 'father knows best' about food moments.  One completely unappreciated at the time. Years had passed but those squash seeds planted at the Thanksgiving table finally took root.

The more common varieties of squash gracing our dinner tables, or at least my table, include acorn and butternut. Only recently (like in this past week) have I discovered the versatile kabocha squash, described by some as a sweet potato crossed with a pumpkin. With a deep green skin and intense orange-yellow flesh, it has a strong, yet sweet, moist and fluffy texture. Much like other hard winter squashes or pumpkins, this Asian or Japanese variety of winter squash can be roasted or steamed. Had my father made and forced us to eat kabocha squash when we were little, I would have been politely asking for seconds.

At this time of year the herbs and vegetables in this soup can be found at the grocery store and/or the farmer's market. Before I made this soup I had to 'google' kabocha squash on my phone while walking through the farmer's market as I didn't even know what it looked like. Thankfully the internet kept me from revealing some of my cluelessness to a total stranger.

The kabocha squash is baked in a preheated 400 degree (F) oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife. Baking time will vary slightly based on the size of the squash. My baking time was 50 minutes.

Two and a half cups of cooked squash flesh is needed for this soup recipe. Whatever you do, don't let any of the remaining cooked squash go to waste. Mix it with a little bit of butter (or browned butter), season with salt and pepper, and enjoy it. If you thought eating any leftover cookie dough batter was a bonus for making cookies, wait until you eat this cooked squash. You won't want anyone near the kitchen when you are making this soup.

In a Dutch oven or deep cast iron pot, six tablespoons of unsalted butter are melted and browned. If you have never browned butter before, foodblogger, Joy the Baker wrote a great little instructional post.

Thin slices of onion and fennel; a peeled and quartered apple; chopped garlic, thyme and sage are added to the browned butter along with fresh apple cider, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup (the real stuff), salt and pepper. On low heat, this mixture simmers until the apple, fennel and onion have softened (approximately 30 minutes). 

Two and a half cups of the cooked kabocha squash flesh are added to the soup base. In order for the flavors to meld, the entire mixture is cooked on low for an additional ten minutes. 

Working in batches, the soup is pureed in a food processor until smooth and returned to the pan to rewarm. (Note: If you have an immersion blender, you can puree the soup in the pan. Lucky you!) The recipe suggests water can be added if it is 'too thick'. I so loved how thick and velvety the soup was, I couldn't bring myself to 'thinning' it with a little bit of water. My soup palate said the texture was perfect.

You can make this soup early in the day or the day before you plan on serving it. However, if it thickens too much after refrigeration, you may need to add a little water to return it to its' initial consistency.

Depending on the size of your soup bowl or whether you are serving this soup as a meal or first course, the recipe yields enough for 4 to 6 servings. The soup can be garnished with pumpkin seeds, thin slices of a honey crisp apple, roasted mushrooms, homemade buttered croutons, or left unadorned. 

Based only on the recipe for Autumn Squash Soup with Apple Cider and Brown Butter, I can hardly wait to work my way through Heartlandia: Heritage Recipes from Portland's The Country Cat. If there was ever a reason to lift a self-imposed cookbook buying moratorium, this book would be it. Next up for me will be their Brioche Cinnamon Rolls. But I probably need to make another batch of this soup first. 

One you make and taste this soup, you will never again make soup from a can, container, or frozen pouch. Even if you are starving and it is the only thing in the house to eat. This Autumn Squash Soup with Apple Cider and Brown Butter will permanently spoil you. Finally you will believe and understand why you deserve better than good enough in your life.

Recipe
Autumn Squash Soup with Apple Cider and Brown Butter (from Heartlandia: Heritage Recipes from Portland's The Country Cat by Adam and Jackie Sappington with Ashley Gartland)

Ingredients
A 2 1/2-3 pound kabocha squash, halved and seeded (for a yield of 2 1/2 cups of cooked squash flesh)
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 cups unsweetened apple cider
1 firm, crisp, medium-sized Honey Crisp apple, peeled, cored and quartered
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup 
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Set rack in center of the oven.
2. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place the squash, cut-side down, on pan. Roast for approximately 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool slightly, then peel away and discard skin or any other tough pieces. Measure out 2 1/2 cups of squash flesh.
3. In a medium Dutch oven set over medium heat, melt butter. Cook, whisking frequently, until the butter solids are brown and start to smell nutty (approximately 5 minutes).
4. Add the apple cider, apple, onion, fennel, apple cider vinegar, garlic, sage, thyme and maple syrup. Bring mixture to a simmer. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until apples, fennel and onions are soft and tender (approximately 30 minutes).
6. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree soup until smooth (Note: Work in batches). The pureed soup should coat the back of a spoon.
7.  Return soup to the pan. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add water until it reaches the desired consistency. Season with additional kosher salt and pepper (and additional cider vinegar if desired). Reheat until warm.
8. Serve in four to six soup bowls.
Optional: Garnish soup with toasted pumpkin seeds, roasted mushrooms, thinly sliced apples or brioche croutons.

Early morning sunrise and mist on a farm in Little Compton, Rhode Island.