Butternut squash soup with toasted sage and crabmeat is a classic fall dish. When it comes to wine for this hearty, decadent and creamy soup, I typically reach for a nice Chardonnay aged in french oak to accentuate the baking spices in the dish, but I always like to mix things up a little with a great little sipper from South America. Torrontes is Argentina’s signature white grape. It’s an aromatic varietal boasting beautiful floral notes of jasmine and roses, stone fruit aromas, vibrant citrus along with a hint of honey, white pepper and sometimes herbs.
Depending on the producer, this wine can be a bit reminiscent of a Viognier or Gewurtztraminer. The wine is light to medium-bodied with vibrant acidity similar to a Sauvignon Blanc that make it a great match with this soup. The acidity leaves your palate feeling refreshed in between bites and the brininess in the crab meat makes the wine’s fruit flavors come to life. You can serve this as a traditional soup or you can use it for an intriguing appetizer for guests as I have illustrated with this image. And of course, if you’re feeling a bit more traditional, you can grab your favorite bottle of Chardonnay for this dish.
Recommended Producers
Susana Balbo “Crios” Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina (SRP: $12)
Kaiken Torrontes, Salta, Argentina(SRP: $14)
Recipe: Butternut Squash w/Toasted Sage & Crabmeat
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 butternut squash
2 apples (Gala or MacIntosh)
1 onion
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. clove
1 tbsp. sea salt
1 tsp. white pepper
8 oz crabmeat
10 sage leaves (julienned)
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut ends off squash and slice down the middle. Drizzle with olive oil, a pinch of salt & pepper and place upside down in large roasting pan. Pierce some holes in skin. Peel apples and slice in 4, add to the pan, peel and cut onions in quarters and add to pan. Add one cup of chicken stock to the pan and roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Let cool slightly and scoop squash out of the skins and place in food processor along with onion and apple. Pulse ingredients for about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup chicken stock and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a medium-large saucepan. Add coconut milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg & clove and heat over low heat until warmed through.
In a small saute pan, add 2 tbsp. olive oil, sage & crabmeat and cook for about 2-3 minutes over low-medium heat until crab is warm.
Spoon soup into a bowl and top with crab & sage mixture. Add diced apples for garnish and texture. Serves 4.