Paper Chef #11 - Entree

Butternut pumpkin soup, and duck liver sausage and shiitake tortellini served with a mildly spicy pear and mandarine dressing. The crisp texture and the intense aroma of the tortellini nicely contrast the mild coriander, ginger, butter and caramelised onion flavours of the soup. Peanut or cashew nut butter cream works well with this soup.

Butternut Soup
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter
500 g butternut, peeled and cubed
2 cups water
1 slice of ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoon chilli oil
1/2 cup raw peanuts

Brown the onion in butter. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes or until cooked. Remove the ginger and bay leaves. Season to taste. Puree until smooth. For the peanut butter cream, roast the peanuts at 180 degrees celsius for 30 minutes. Mill finely to a butter. Add chilli oil and enough water to make a cream. Season to taste. To serve, pour the peanut butter cream in an attractive trail over the butternut soup.

Duck Liver Sausage and Shiitake Mushroom Tortellini
2 duck liver sausages, chopped
1/2 onion
4 shiitake mushroom, finely minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
24 round gyoza skins (manufactured with rice wine)

Carefully render the sausages. Add the onion and saute until transparent. Add the mushroom and saute. Add the cornstarch and then the water. Cook until the mixture thickens. Season to taste. Remove from the heat and cool. To make the tortellini, place 1 teaspoon of filling in the centre of the gyoza skin, moisten the edges and fold to seal. Fry the gyoza until golden brown and crispy.

Chilli, Pear and Mandarin Dressing
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon pear and mandarin, or favourite jam
1 teaspoon sambal oelek

Combine and season to taste.



To Serve
Assemble three tortellini over the butternut soup as shown. Drizzle over the dressing. Garnish with a sprig of coriander.

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Paper Chef #11 - Entree
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Paper Chef #11 - Dessert
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