Recipe for Butternut Squash and Carrot Velouté, Haddock Mousse

Start by preparing the velouté. Peel and seed the butternut squash, then cut it into large cubes. Peel the carrots, wash them, and cut them into rounds. Peel and coarsely slice the onion.

Peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut them into pieces. Peel the piece of ginger and cut it into slices. Wash, dry, and zest the orange. Set the zests aside. Cut it in half and squeeze the juice.

In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onion with the orange juice. Then add the pieces of butternut squash, carrots, potatoes, and slices of ginger, along with the water and stock cubes, and bring to a boil. Let it simmer uncovered for about 25 to 30 minutes until the pieces of squash and carrots are tender.

Blend with a hand mixer, adding half of the smoked fish, chopped washed cilantro, and cream to achieve a thick velouté. Add a little salt and generous pepper. Set aside.

Prepare the mousse. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. (You can place the cream in a bowl with a whisk in the refrigerator for 1 hour beforehand, or 20 minutes in the freezer; I didn’t do this, I just used very cold cream.) Using a blender, chop the smoked fish (adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of liquid cream if necessary).

Gently mix the chopped smoked haddock with the whipped cream. Lightly pepper, do not add salt due to the smoked haddock being salty already. Set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. In a bowl or deep plate, pour in the very hot soup. Sprinkle with orange zest. Place a nice scoop of the haddock mousse on top and add a few pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately (the heat of the soup will cause the mousse to collapse).

This velouté, very mild thanks to the butternut squash, is enhanced by the smoky and powerful taste of the haddock. A beautiful harmony that provides a surprising and flavorful appetizer! Do not throw away the squash seeds (if possible, use organic products). Remove the fibers, wash them, and dry them with a kitchen towel and then let them sit on this towel for a whole night. Then, 1) either place them in a paper envelope noting the date and the type of seeds for planting in the vegetable garden in the spring. 2) Or place them in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper, and add spices: curry, paprika, turmeric... Then coat the seeds by mixing well. Place them on a rack covered with baking paper, put in a preheated oven at 160° for about twenty minutes, turning them occasionally. Serve them on the soup and in a separate ramekin. ENJOY YOUR MEAL!

To finish