Author Notes
This recipe is Southern "gumbo-inspired," naturally thickened by its ingredients, butternut squash and the Cajun magic addition of filé (ground sassafras leaves). No need for the roux - the French base made of flour and oil. An invention of my Northern kitchen, the recipe starts with a simple sauté of garlic, shallot and serrano peppers in butter. Easy and elegant, from start to velvety finish, prep takes about an hour. —Vivian Henoch
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Ingredients
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1 pound
butternut squash, peeled, cubed
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1 pound
lump crabmeat (preferably Maryland backfin)
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2 tablespoons
butter or oil
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1
shallot, chopped into fine pieces
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2
cloves garlic, minced
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2
serrano peppers, seeds removed, chopped fine
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1 teaspoon
nutmeg
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2 cups
chicken stock
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1/2 cup
half and half
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2 tablespoons
filé
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sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions
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In a 2-quart pot, heat butter (or oil) and saute shallot, garlic and peppers,
until softened to release the flavors.
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Add chicken stock and cubed squash, and cook until squash is cooked through.
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Remove vegetables in stock from heat. Using a slotted spoon, place vegetables in a food processor and blend until smooth. Return blended mixture to stock and stir. Add cream, nutmeg, filé, salt and pepper.
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Gently mix crabmeat into the soup or spoon generous portions of crabmeat over individual servings in a bowl.
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