Butternut Squash with Red Onion

Butternut squash is one of those things that is practically indestructible in the pantry and seem to be plentiful in the fall. Cherry Valley market had a good price on these the other day so I picked one up with a nice couple of red onions and decided to get these two together on an date so to speak.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 medium butternut squash cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 small red onion sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic sliced
• About 10 dates diced
• ¼ cup Duck Walk white
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• Sea salt

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the squash and brown it. Add the onions and garlic, cook till the onions are soft. Add the dates and deglaze with the wine. Cook this down till the liquid evaporates. Mix in the chives and remove from the heat. Serve! Preferable with a stripped sea bass:

Butternut Squash w/ Apple Soup

I just got back from being upstate. Its apple season up there, and I got a really good deal on butternut squash, so its soup time.

• 1 med. butternut squash
• 3 apples
• 1 med. onion, chopped
• Salt / Pepper
• chicken broth
• water
• 1/4 c. of half and half

Core, peel, and dice the apples, I usually use fresh McIntosh apples. Then peel and seed squash and cut into chunks. Finely dice the onion. Toss the squash, apples, onions, salt and pepper to taste, broth and water in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Let this cook for about half an hour, till the squash gets nice and soft.

Now, I puree soup in the pot using an immersion blender, then bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer. Then, add the half and half. Serve hot with fresh bread. Rye bread goes nicely with this soup.