I woke up this morning to a beautiful frosted backyard. This wasn’t a surprise as it had been forecasted over a week ago giving all gardeners ample time to harvest everything and put our garden to sleep for the winter.ย But as I looked around I discovered 2 sage plants I had forgotten to harvest. They were lightly frosted but still good. Even though sage plants like heat, it takes more than one nippy night to damage it.
But this got me thinking, it’s time to make some sage infused oil. I have already made some basil oil, and rosemary oil but had forgotten about my sage plants. What goes great with sage oil or sage butter? A nice plate of pasta, roasted potatoes or root vegetables. But it also pairs really well with a nice butternut squash soup! We happen to have bought one so it was a sign.
Make sage infused oil
The steps for making sage oil are identical to making basil or rosemary oil. Start harvesting leaves making sure to remove any bugs or debris. Pack the leaves in a clean mason jar. I like to add a pinch of salt. Heat up 1-2 cups of avocado (if you like prefer a neutral oil) or olive oil and pour over the leaves. Stir and make sure the leaves are covered. Close the jar and place it in a dark place for 3-6 weeks. Shake the jar every few days. That’s it. You can remove the leaves if you want.
Make fried sage leaves
This is a nice thing to make when you have a lot of sage leaves. It add a surprising little crunch that can be used on soups, added to pasta, stir fries, sauces. Sage leaves are thin and they tend to burn quickly so make sure to only cook them for a few seconds. The key is to heat up the oil in a frying pan and make sure that it is hot enough that when you add the leaves, they sizzle. As soon as they start to shrink and turn darker, immediately remove them from the heat and place them on a paper towel. Keep the oil in the pan and use it for later.
Sheet roasting
This method of roasting all your veggies on one sheet is becoming really popular. This soup can be prepared the same way. it not only makes less mess in the kitchen (I have a small one so yes this is a plus for me) but roasting also brings out the natural sweetness of the squash, garlic and onions. It is so much more nutritious than boiling especially if you are used to drain the liquid in the sink (liquid that contains all the vitamins and minerals!
Toppings
This soup is creamy, rich and filling because of the beans. It doesn’t really need anything but there are a few things you can add more as a visual enhancer. A dollop of vegan sour cream, a few strips of sundried tomatoes, a few pine nuts, you get the idea. This soup goes great with some French bread or any flat bread.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Sage Leaves
Equipment
- Lined baking tray
Ingredients
Sage oil
- 8-10 fresh sage leaves
- 2-3 tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Soup
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 1 large white or yellow onion
- 1 garlic head with the top removed
- 1 large potato
- 1 cup cooked white beans
- 3-4 cups vegetable broth
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Toppings (optional)
- vegan sour cream
- pine nuts
- sun dried tomato strips
Instructions
Make the fried sage leaves
- Heat up 3 tbsp of avocado or olive oil. Dip the tip of a leaf and if it sizzle, you can quickly add the rest of the leaves making sure they are covered with the oil.
- As soon as the leaves start to turn darker, remove the leaves and place them on a plate lined with paper towel.
- Pour the infused oil in a small container for later use.
Prepare the vegetables
- Peel, remove the seeds and slice the butternut squash. Place into a large bowl.
- Peel and slice an onion, some garlic and add to the bowl.
- Sprinkle with some salt, and olive oil. Toss well.
- Place all the vegetables on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 375F for 40 minutes. Flip the vegetables halfway through.
- Peel and boil a large potato until tender (10-12 minutes). Drain and set aside.
- Squeeze the garlic and pour all the ingredients plus the white beans in a blender.
- Pulse until you get a smooth texture. Add more liquid if you want it thinner.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add some sage infused oil.
- Serve immediately with a dollop of vegan sour cream, bits of sundried tomatoes and a few fried sage leaves
Bon appetit !
