Butternut Squash, Golden Delicious Apple & Sweet Potato Soup
with an apple cider reduction crème fraiche & crispy sage leaves in brown butter

SERVES 12

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, divide into 2 T and 6 T
2 ½ lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into ½ inch pieces (about 6 Cups)
1 lb Sweet Potato or Yam, roasted and removed from skin
2 cups chopped white or yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 small golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
½ teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves or 1 teaspoon fresh
6+ cups vegetable stock (can also use chicken stock)
1 ½ cups fresh or unfiltered apple cider (I used Boa Vista un-pasteurized from Apple Hill)
2/3 cup Crème Fraiche (can substitute good quality sour cream)
½ cup heavy whipping cream (optional, can also use half & half or tempered sour cream)
12 to 24 fresh small (1/2” long) sage leaves

Melt 6 T butter in a heavy large stock pot or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butternut squash,
sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in chopped
golden delicious apples, dried thyme and dried sage. Add stock and 1 cup of the cider and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until both squash and apples are tender, stirring mixture
occasionally, about 30 minutes. Remove from burner & cool.

Puree soup in blender, food processor or with a hand held stick blender to a smooth consistency.
Return soup to stock pot or saucepan and whisk in ½ cup whipping cream, thin with more stock if
too thick. Season with sea salt & white pepper (optional).

Make Apple Cider reduction Crème Fraiche:

Boil remaining ½ cup of cider until reduced to ¼ cup. Cool. Place crème fraiche in small bowl and
whisk in reduced cider.

Make Crispy Sage leaves in Brown Butter:

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauté pan over med-high heat. Heat until butter
just starts to brown (do not burn) and add fresh sage leaves, cook until crisp and remove to paper
towel lined plate.

Bring soup to a simmer, ladle into bowls, drizzle with apple cider reduction crème fraiche and top with
a crispy brown butter sage leaf.

Make ahead:

Soup and Apple cider crème fraiche can be made up to 3 days in advance, covered separately & refrigerated.
Soup also freezes well for up to 3 months in airtight, ziplock bags.

Wine Suggestions:

There's a load of complimentary, seasonal flavors in the soup and a touch of sweetness from the cider reduction.

This recipe was "designed" to pair with Narrow Gate Vineyard's white wines: Chardonnay and Viognier Roussanne.
It is also excellent with the Melange de Sol, Blanc (blend of Chardonnay, Viognier & Roussanne) and Cotes Rose (Grenache Rose).

Narrow Gate Vineyards & Winery - 4282 Pleasant Valley Road - Placerville, CA - 95667 - 530.644.6201