Butternut Squash Chowder with Pears and Ginger

Ingredients

• 12 ounces baking potatoes diced peeled
• 2  bosc pear diced cored peeled
• 3 cups butternut squash diced peeled seeded
• 1 small carrots diced peeled
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 0.5 cup wine dry white
• 1 teaspoon ginger fresh minced peeled
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• 0.5 cup cup heavy whipping cream 
• 2  juice of lemon 
• 1 tablespoon juice of lemon freshly squeezed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 0.3 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
• 6 servings salt to taste
• 5 cups vegetable stock store-bought
• 1 cup onion diced spanish peeled

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• sieve
• blender

Directions

1. Place the pears in a bowl with the lemon juice, cover with water, and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over high heat until lightly smoking.
3. Add the onion, celery, and carrot, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
4. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute longer, stirring constantly.
5. Add the white wine and reduce the liquid until the pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes.
6. Drain half of the pears, reserving the other half in the lemon water for garnish.
7. Add the drained pears to the pan with the squash, potato, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
8. Transfer half of the soup in batches to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve back into the saucepan with the unpureed mixture.
9. Add the orange juice, lemon juice, cream, salt, and the reserved pears and gently warm the chowder through (do not boil). The chowder can be made 1 day ahead.
10. Southwestern Vegetarian by Stephan Pyles Clarkson N. Potter