Butternut Bisque with French Onion Toast Topper

 Ingredients:

Soup:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (2 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or to taste

French Onion Toast Toppers:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 large sweet onions, chopped
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons sherry
• 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 slices sourdough bread
• 6 teaspoons butter, softened
• 6 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese

Instructions:

Soup:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender but not browned, about 10 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to caramelize and brown, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the squash, chicken broth, remaining kosher salt, and cayenne pepper to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the squash is very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend the squash mixture until smooth. (Or transfer the mixture, in batches if needed, to a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Return to pot.) Stir in the cream and maple syrup.

French Onion Toast Toppers:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-low heat until the butter is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sweet onions, shallot, salt, and pepper. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the sherry and cook 2 minutes more. Add the low-sodium beef stock and fresh thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced and the onions are very tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme and discard.

Assembly:

1. Ladle the soup into wide shallow bowls.
2. Arrange the sourdough bread slices on a large baking sheet. Spread each slice with 1 teaspoon of the softened butter. Bake, turning once halfway through, until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Preheat the oven's broiler.
3. Top the bread slices with the caramelized onion mixture and shredded Gruyère cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
4. Serve the soup immediately with the French onion toast toppers and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Enjoy!

Tips:

• For a smoother soup, you can puree it in a blender or food processor after blending it with the immersion blender.
• If you don't have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup to a blender or food processor in batches to puree it.
• To make the French onion toast toppers ahead of time, simply caramelize the onions and then let them cool completely. Once they're cool, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you're ready to serve the soup, simply assemble the toast toppers and broil them until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• For a richer flavor, use beef broth instead of chicken broth in the soup.
• You can also add other vegetables to the soup, such as carrots, celery, or potatoes.