MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

     Title: Winter Vegetable Pure W/ Sweet Spices & Crispy Shallots
Categories: Vegetables, Mine
     Yield: 4 servings

     1 tb Butter
     1 sm Onion, peeled and diced
     2    Garlic clove(s)
          -peeled and chopped
     1 sm Butternut squash, peeled
          -seeded and diced
     2 sm (or 1 large) acorn squash
          -peeled, seeded, diced
     2 lg Turnips, peeled and diced
     2    Carrots, peeled
          -cut in 1" rounds
 1 1/2 c  Chicken stock
   1/2 ts Dried thyme
     1    Bay leaf
   1/2 ts Ground cinnamon
   1/8 ts Grated nutmeg
   1/4 ts Ground ginger
     1 pn Cayenne pepper
     1 pn Allspice
     1 ts Kosher salt
          Freshly ground pepper
          Lemon juice
   1/2 c  Heavy cream or
     2 tb Butter (opt)

MMMMM--------------------------SHALLOTS-------------------------------
     3 lg Shallots
          Vegetable oil
          -or olive oil
          -for frying
          Salt to taste

 In a 3-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the
 onion and garlic and sweat them until translucent, but not browned,
 about 5 minutes.

 Add the butternut and acorn squash, turnips and carrots. Cover and
 sweat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 Add the stock and the thyme, bay leaf, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger,
 cayenne, allspice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat,
 lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until the
 vegetables are soft. Stir occasionally.

 While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the shallots. Trim off both
 ends, cut them in half lengthwise, then thinly slice them lengthwise
 to get half moon pieces. Heat  inch of oil in a 10-inch frying pan
 over medium heat. Fry the shallots in two batches until golden brown
 (the shallot should sizzle on contact with the oil), about 30
 seconds. Drain on paper towels and salt lightly. The shallots will
 get crispier when then cool and may be made a day ahead  just cover
 them well and keep them at room temperature.

 Pure the vegetables in a food processor or blender, adding a little
 cream or butter if desired. Season with a squeeze of lemon juice,
 then taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve in a shallow bowl
 sprinkled with the crispy shallots.

 Sides by Melicia Phillips ISBN 0-517-59687-3 pg 40-41

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