The Illustrated Menu
Thanksgiving Planning
Inspired by Patricia Curtan’s beautiful book of Illustrated Menus,
playing around in my sketchbook with
a menu of a recent dinner Andrew made.
I’d been meaning to check out this book and
all was conveniently in order when I went down the street to Marlow and Sons
for a morning coffee run – Patricia Curtan was there signing books
so I was able to pick one up then:
Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays, it’s around the same
time Andrew and I first met. Andrew cooks up a whole feast and
takes his Thanksgiving game very very seriously.
He’s been testing out what to make this year and this is one of my favorites so far:
This Butternut Squash soup he made is definitely making the cut.
Saveur always does a really great Thanksgiving Guide
as does New York Magazine with their Thanksgiving Planner.
Here’s the Butternut Squash Soup Recipe, by Martha Stewart:
- Prep Time 15 minutes
- Total Time 45 minutes
- Yield Serves 12
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper plus more for garnish (optional)
- Coarse salt
- 1 large butternut squash (about 4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Sour cream, for serving
DIRECTIONS
- In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, and cayenne. Season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add squash, broth, half-and-half, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Working in batches, puree in a blender until smooth. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt. Serve bisque with sour cream, garnished with cayenne, if desired. For a different flavor, use ground nutmeg or cloves instead of cinnamon, or add a Southwestern touch with a small amount of chili powder.
(Instead of cayenne, we topped ours off with creme fraiche,
a bit of balsamic vinaigrette and chives,
with Sullivan Street Bakery Sourdough we made into Toast Points
and a plain Mache Salad with homemade dressing.
Mache/Lambs Lettuce isn’t always available at the grocery store
and when it is I am so happy… always the small things, right?)
{Top Illustration and Handwriting by me. A Spring Kaiseki Image from NYT. All other photos by me.}
