Usually “potage” and “sea” contradict each other. This recipe is connected to “land” ingredients like potatoes, leeks, and a lot of fresh cream.
I created this recipe when trying to exalt Autumn vegetables, and trying to propose something healthy but extremely stimulating. I have always been inspired by French cuisine, but the recipe of the normal potage sounded really a bit too rich with all that cream. I decided to keep potatoes and leeks, add squash and a good fish stock and prawns, and I have to admit that it is very appreciated.
This encounter of fresh ingredients, poor in calories and rich in vitamins and fibers, is an excellent way to taste an unusual dish, light but full of taste.
In Italy, there are other dishes, mainly first courses, that enhance squash, like butternut squash gnocchi, the Ferrara squash ravioli, the Mantua ravioli. This vegetable is wonderful and versatile, rich in fibers, minerals and increases the sensation of fullness, helping a lot for the diets.
While in traditional Italian first courses squash is processed and squeezed, here the labor is extremely reduced; the addition of prawns and chili pepper balances the sweet note of squash and leeks.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Yield: Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
- 16 oz. (500 gr.) potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 24 oz. (750 gr.) butternut squash, deseeded, peeled, and cut into chunks
- 2 leeks, only the white part finely sliced
- 18 prawns with heads and shells
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (120 ml) dry white wine
- 1 small carrot, cut into chunks
- 1 small onion, cut into chunks
- ½ small celery stalk
- 4 grains black pepper
- Sea salt
- 2 cups (500 ml.) water
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pinch chili pepper
Instructions
Prepare the stock simmering in a pot with the heads and shells of the prawns, vegetables, pepper, salt, water and wine for 30 minutes.
In a pot, sautè the leeks with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Then add the squash, potatoes and the filtered stock and boil for almost an hour; check the salt and season, eventually.
When the soup is cooked, mix the soup using an immersion blender, making a silky velouté.
In a non-stick pan, pour the oil and sauté the garlic clove in it. Discard the garlic and sauté the prawns, when they are roasted add the wine. Season with chili and salt.
After the wine has evaporated, pour the soup in the bowls and add 3 prawns for each serving.