Oscar Chapa
Oscar created a spicy curried butternut squash soup with a sweet ham and pear crostini with a soft goat cheese spread, arugula, and a vanilla balsamic vinegar drizzle.
As we get closer to fall, butternut squash soup is a staple, but I didn't want to go for your run-of-the-mill soup that is sweet and overpowering. So, I took a turn with just a touch of spicy red curry, ginger and lime juice to get it a fresher yet warmer feel. And then seeing the pear and the ham gave me an idea to play with layers of flavors and textures. By pan roasting the sliced ham (almost like candied bacon) paired well with the tanginess of the goat cheese and the texture of the pear sliced thin and topping it off with arugula for freshness and the balsamic vinegar to help cut through the fat of the cheese would be a perfect complement to the soup.
The squash, pear, and ham were not that much of a surprise given that fall is almost here (although apples would've been more typical). But the vanilla paste and the erythritol made me struggle, but once I started building the soup in my head, the crostini idea came almost immediately and helped me bring some sweetness outside of the soup.
As for highs/lows during the process, Chapa says the final result was a high point. Very well-balanced dish. With tons of flavors and textures. I'm not a fan of butternut squash soup, but this made me think again.
Lows: The drizzle. It took several tries to get the right balance of tangy and sweet. Same for the candied bacon.
The erythritol and vanilla paste made me dig deep into how to make them work. So, the only way I could've used them was the way I did, or at least in my mind.
It was surprising as I loved the crostini because of its complexity, layering, and overall taste, but my testers loved the soup more than me. They want my recipe! Ha-ha.
As for surprises, he says the way the heat blooms in the soup. It is slow buildup and quickly moves to the back of your palate making it a very good fall or even winter dish.
It was simple to make with a medium depth of ingredients that delivered good results, and people liked it, and that is what I like about cooking, making people happy with the food.