Heirloom Squash Soup with Truffle Tater Tots and Melted Vidalia Onions
Ingredients
Squash Soup
- 8 to 10 heirloom squash
- 1 yellow onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 3 leeks, white parts only
- 3 shallots
- ½ quart heavy cream
- ¼ pound unsalted butter
- Salt, to taste
Truffle Tater Tots
- 2 white potatoes
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons chopped truffle
- Black truffle oil, to taste
- Salt, to taste
Melted Onions
- 2 Vidalia onions
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ pound butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
Squash Soup
- Cut the squash, onion, and leeks into ½-inch pieces. Thinly slice the shallots and garlic.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onion, leeks, shallots, and garlic, and cook until translucent.
- Add the squash and cover the pot.
- Cook over very low heat for about 10 minutes, allowing the squash to release its natural moisture.
- Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and blend in a high-speed blender until smooth. Pass through a chinois or fine-mesh sieve.
- Season with salt to taste.
Truffle Tater Tots
- Wash the potatoes and wrap them individually in aluminum foil.
- Roast at 400°F for 40 minutes. The potatoes should be partially cooked, not fully cooked.
- Cool completely, then peel and shred using the large holes of a box grater.
- Mix with the egg white and chopped truffle. Season with truffle oil and salt.
- Deep fry for about 3 minutes at 400°F, or pan fry in clarified butter until golden brown on all sides.
Melted Onions
- Julienne the onions and place them in a 2-quart saucepan.
- Add the water and butter and cover.
- Cook until the onions are very tender and translucent.
- Stir in the chopped chives and season with salt to taste.
To Serve
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the melted onions into the center of each serving bowl.
- Stack 2 to 3 truffle tater tots on top of the onions.
- Pour the hot squash soup around the onions and tater tots. Serve immediately.
