FLAVORS of FALL

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Family Features

Fall brings a whole new set of flavors to the table, and that’s reason enough to celebrate with friends.

Award-winning celebrity chef and cookbook author Michael Chiarello has created some deli cious seasonal dishes that make the most of autumn’s bounty and make it easy to entertain.

“If you want to create beautiful food for your friends and family, the most important thing you can do is start your recipes with the best possible ingredients,” says Chiarello. “Progresso makes it easy to fill your pantry with the very finest ingredients.”

Using Progresso 100 percent natural broth and panko bread crumbs, Chiarello has created dishes with exceptional flavor and paired them with the award-winning wines of the Cavit Collection.

Find more seasonal recipes at www.progressofoods.com and www.cavitcollection.com.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 30 minutes

Start to finish: 60 minutes

Roasted Winter Squash

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups diced (3/4-inch) raw winter squash (butternut, hubbard, acorn)

Salt and pepper

Soup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup diced carrot

1 cinnamon stick

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 carton (32 ounces) Progresso chicken broth (4 cups)

1/2 teaspoon ground toasted coriander, if desired

11/2 cups Roasted Winter Squash (above)

1/2 cup half-and-half, if desired

2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup Progresso plain panko crispy bread crumbs, toasted light brown in saut pan over medium heat

To make roasted winter squash: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat butter over medium-high heat in an ovenproof saut pan; add diced squash, salt and pepper. When squash begins to brown, place pan in oven. Roast for 15 minutes or until medium-brown on all sides. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Pure in food processor, or mash with potato masher or ricer. Measure 11/2 cups squash; reserve.

To make soup: Heat olive oil in large sauce pan over medium heat until hot. Add onion, celery, carrot and cinnamon stick; saut until soft but not brown, about 10 min utes. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth and coriander; bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes. Stir in reserved squash until smooth; simmer gently to let flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick.

Pure soup using an immersion blender or in a blender until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered and refrig erated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with broth or water when reheating.)

Return soup to pan and reheat gently. Add half-and-half. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Top each serving with pumpkin seeds and toasted bread crumbs.

Tip: Depending on how rich you want it, or how cold it is outside, you can use cream, yogurt or mascarpone instead of half-and-half.

Enjoy with Cavit Chardonnay.