Butternut squash looks like a dirty, overgrown pear, but I find it one of the treasures of the fall harvest in New England. Its orange flesh is naturally sweet and goes well with a tremendous variety of ingredients. I came up with this recipe when I was planning to demonstrate my butternut squash-green apple soup recipe on television, and wanted to give it more formality and sophistication. I added Calvados (apple brandy) to cut the sweetness of the squash and the apples. Prosciutto adds a smoky, salty contrast. Gorgonzola dolce, a dessert variation of blue cheese, floats on top, finishing the soup with creaminess as well as pungency.

Ingredients:

Garnish-
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 slices prosciutto, cut into thin strips
1 green apple, thinly sliced
Soup-
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1^1/2 cups diced onions
2 large green apples, peeled and diced
2 cups diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced parsnips
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and diced
8 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1^1/2 cups light cream
2 to 3 tablespoons Calvados
8 to 10 tablespoons Gorgonzola dolce cheese

Directions:

For the garnish: In a sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the prosciutto and pan-fry until crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the apple slices and sauté lightly until crisp-tender. Set aside.

For the soup: In a stockpot melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, apples, carrots, celery, parsnips, and butternut squash. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes.

Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot if using a blender and season with salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Add the cream and stir to incorporate.

Return to the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the Calvados right before serving. Top each serving with a dollop of Gorgonzola dolce. Lay slices of sautéed green apple on top. Sprinkle with crispy prosciutto.

Makes 8 to 10 servings. To simplify prep time, buy squash that is already peeled. Many markets sell it this way. The whole squash is only slightly more yielding than a rock, making it difficult to peel with a vegetable peeler, and potentially dangerous to use a sharp knife.