Curried Squash-and-Pear Bisque

Ingredients

• 1 small purée of usa bartlett pear cored thinly sliced
• 1 pound purée of usa bartlett pear peeled chopped
• 0.1 teaspoon pepper black
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 2.8 pounds butternut squash 
• 2.5 teaspoons curry powder 
• 0.5 cup half and half 
• 1.5 cups onion thinly sliced
• 1 cup pear nectar 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 29 ounce vegetable stock canned
• 2.3 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• ladle
• oven
• blender
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 37
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane.
3. 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.
4. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
5. Add chopped pear and onion; saut 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
6. Add squash pulp, water, and next 5 ingredients (water through pepper). Bring to a boil; partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes.
7. Place one-third of squash mixture in a blender; process until smooth.
8. Pour pured 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.