Butternut Velouté with Roasted Hazelnuts and Crème Cocoa

We arrived late on a Friday night in Beaune, France, found a room at Hotel Le Cep, and a short walk up the cobble stone street led us to La Maison du Colombier Gastro-Bar and Gites Urbans. The outdoor seats are full but inside is cozy and buzzing with friends at bistro tables in the bar and down the steps into the cave like cellar, guests are nestled in corners on the low sofas enjoying exceptional food. The cute young German couple next to us order a baba au rhum – their anniversary trip rerouted to stay in Europe due to COVID travel restrictions. We order a charcuterie board, eggs poached in tangerine cream with caramelized onions and shaved truffles, and from the specials board, the butternut velouté with crème praline and cocoa. After we arrived home, I messaged chef Gauthier Laleure for the recipe. I made a few changes: roasted the butternut squash, used homemade chicken stock, added leeks and sautéed them with the onions in butter.

Butternut Velouté

• 1 butternut squash – peeled, seeded and sliced
• 2 leeks – white parts only – sliced thin
• 1 yellow onion – sliced thin
• 1 apple – diced – peel on
• 4 tbs butter
• 6 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
• fresh sage, thyme and parsley – tied together with kitchen twine (bouquet garni)
• 2 bay leaves
• olive oil – enough
• salt and pepper – enough
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• unsweetened cocoa – to finish
• fresh chives – to finish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle sliced butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast 20 – 25 minutes (flipping halfway) until slightly browned.

In a large stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Add the onions and leeks. Cook until soft and caramelized. Add diced apples and curry. Cook 5 minutes until apples brown.

Add roasted butternut squash, stock, and bouquet garni of sage, thyme and parsley and bay leaves. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.

Remove bay leaves. Cool and purée in batches in a food processor. Add maple syrup.

Crème Hazelnut Cocoa

• 1 cup heavy cream (make sure its COLD)
• 1 tsb hazelnut chocolate cocoa mix (Land O Lakes)

Pour chilled heavy cream into a chilled mixing bowl and add the cocoa mix. Whip until soft peaks form.

Kabie Plates

Place a quenelle* of crème cocoa, a few roasted hazelnuts, a dusting of unsweetened cocoa and chopped chives, in the bottom of the bowl (or fried parsnips and a drizzle of barrel aged sherry). Pour the soup around the quenelle.

• place your spoon in a bowl of hot water before you scoop the cream to make a perfect quenelle

We head out through the German architecture influenced hotel courtyard the next morning for breakfast and then on to the Samedi marché. The cathedral bell chimes, a quartet clad in all white and flat top straw hats entertain the shoppers with the upbeat jazzy bluegrass sounds of horns and banjo, and the crowd of people with their baskets and push carts peruse the square filled with vendors displaying their fresh goods, looking for what they’ll take home to create their next meals.