Delicata Squash And Granny Smith Apple Soup With Foie Gras Tortellini, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, And Chestnut Cream

Don Pintabon uses foie gras butter, which is essentially an enriched mousse, to act as a liaison to bind and thicken the squash and apple soup. Foie gras butter is also used as the filling for the tortellini to create an intense flavor that explodes in the mouth. The toasted pumpkin seed oil, a traditional Austrian condiment, accents the autumnal character of this satisfying soup.

Yield: 8 Appetizer Servings

Foie Gras Butter

• 1 cup foie gras mousse
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Place the foie gras mousse and butter in the bowl of a food processor. Process until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate.

Squash and Apple Soup

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup calvados
• 6 cups light chicken stock, plus 1 cup extra to adjust consistency
• 2 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 4 whole start anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 vanilla bean, 2 inches long, split
• 6 delicata squash, seeded and chopped
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• Coarse salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• 1/3 cut foie gras butter

In a stock pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the calvados and cook until the mixture is almost dry. Add the stock, potatoes, star anise, bay leaf, and vanilla bean, and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the squash and apples, and simmer until soft. Remove the bay leaf, star anise, and vanilla bean, and puree the soup in batches, in a food processor or blender, until smooth. Adjust the consistency with more stock, if necessary. Strain the soup through a coarse sieve or china cap and season with salt and pepper. Chill until needed.

Foie Gras Tortellini

• 24 wonton wrappers, cut into 1&1/2-inch circles
• 2/3 cup foie gras butter
• 1 egg, beaten

Place a teaspoon of the foie gras butter in the center of the wonton wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the butter to make tortellini. Seal the edges with the beaten egg. Repeat this process to create 16-24 tortellini. Reserve tortellini and leftover foie gras butter until service.

Chestnut Cream

• 1/3 cup unsweetened chestnut puree, canned or fresh
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche, plus more if necessary

Combine chestnut puree and the creme fraiche. The mixture should have the consistency of honey. Make adjustments as needed.

Garnish

• 4 ounces foie gras, diced
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 delicata squash, cut into 8 half-moon shapes
• 4 lady apples, sliced lengthwise
• Toasted pumpkin seed oil
• 8 sage leaves
• 16 whole star anise

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a very hot saute pan, cook the diced foie gras for about 30 seconds. Toast the pumpkin seeds in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the squash for 1 minute. Place the lady apples on a sheet pan, cut side down, and roast until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve the pumpkin seed oil, sage, and star anise until service.

Service and Garnish
Bring the soup to a boil and remove from the heat. Whisk in 2/3 cup foie gras butter. Place the tortellini in boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Ladle the hot soup into eight bowls. Add 2 to 3 tortellini to each bowl. Place a dollop of chestnut cream in the center of each bowl, and drizzle the pumpkin seed oil around it. Gently arrange the toasted pumpkin seeds, 1 sage leaf, a piece of squash, 2 star anise, and half a lady apple in each bowl.