Recipe - Curried Squash and Pear Bisque

Curried Squash and Pear Bisque
from Scott and Heather Clark via Cooking Light

Ingredients

object2=">1 butternut squash (about 2 3/4 pounds)
object2=">1 tablespoon butter
object2=">2 cups chopped peeled Bartlett pear (about 1 pound)
object2=">1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
object2=">2 1/3 cups water
object2=">1 cup pear nectar
object2=">2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth
object2=">2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
object2=">1/2 teaspoon salt
object2=">1/8 teaspoon black pepper
object2=">1/2 cup half-and-half
object2=">1 small Bartlett pear, cored and thinly sliced

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet; bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. Cool. Peel squash; mash pulp. Set aside 3 1/2 cups pulp, reserving remaining squash for another use.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped pear and onion; sauté 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add squash pulp, water, and next 5 ingredients (water through pepper). Bring to a boil; partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes. Place one-third of squash mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour puréed mixture into a large bowl; repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Return squash mixture to pan; stir in half-and-half. Cook over low heat 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into bowls, and garnish with pear slices.

Yield

8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 149(25% from fat); FAT 4.2g (sat 2g,mono 1g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 1.9g; CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 70mg; SODIUM 622mg; FIBER 3.7g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29.4g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2000