It’s starting to feel a lot like fall, making this a great time to cozy up to a warm bowl of soup. When Functional Chef Gerard Viverito stopped by the FOX-TV studios in Sacramento, California, he showed the audience how to supercharge classic butternut squash soup.
His Thai-inspired Squash Soup with Spiced Crème Fraiche is comfort food, re-imagined. It may become your family’s favorite! Chef Gerard also added a few generous scoops of Sunfiber which he refers to as chef’s fiber, because it deserves a place next to other standard condiments. “I keep it on the counter, next to my high-end finishing oils,” he stated, explaining that he adds it to just about everything to make foods healthier by boosting fiber content without causing additional gas or bloating, and without affecting the taste, aroma or texture of the food. Sunfiber also helps you cut back on calories because it increases satiety.
Thai-inspired Squash Soup with Spiced Crème Fraiche
By Chef Gerard Viverito
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, about 3 pounds (use pre-cut to save time)
- 2 shallots, sliced in half
- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 14-ounce coconut milk
- 1 stalk lemongrass (or 1 tablespoon lime zest)
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste or to taste
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth, more as needed for consistency
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 15-oz. can Crème Fraiche
- 6 Scoops Sunfiber
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- Pinch of clove
- Spiced Crème Fraiche
- Toasted, chopped cashews
- Microgreens
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Place the squash and the shallots on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper, and turn cut-side down. Wrap the whole garlic cloves in foil and place on the sheet. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the squash is tender and the shallots are nicely browned. Or, save time by using pre-cut squash and browning these ingredients in a skillet.
- Prepare the lemongrass by cutting off the root end and the tough upper stem of the stalk. Smash the stalk with a rolling pin to loosen the layers then pull off the thick outer layers and dice the inner, tender parts. Measure out 1 tablespoon chopped lemongrass.
- Scoop the flesh from the squash and unwrap and peel the garlic. In a blender, place the squash, shallots, garlic, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, curry paste, and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Blend until creamy. Add the vegetable broth, lime juice, and olive oil and blend again. Add the water or broth to thin the soup to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings with more salt, pepper, and lime juice.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the spiced crème fraiche, toasted cashews, and microgreens.
Spiced Crème Fraiche Instructions
- In a non-reactive bowl, fold Sunfiber and spices into crème fraiche. Alternatively, add the Sunfiber directly into the soup prior to blending.