Yield: 10 Servings

Ingredients:

Kuri Squash Soup:
• 1 pound roasted kuri squash meat
• 3/4 cup browned butter
• 1 ounce Sherry vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon black cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons butter
  
  Seasoned Crème Fraiche:
• 1/2 cup crème fraiche
• 1 teaspoon minced sage
• 1 teaspoon minced parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons water
  
  Brown Butter-Sherry Vinaigrette:
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 16 ounces Hidalgo Sherry vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 8 ounces browned butter
  
  Pickled Red Pearl Onion:
• 3 ounces sugar
• 4 ounces red wine vinegar
• 3 ounces chicken stock
• 30 red pearl onions, peeled and trimmed
• 1 Tablespoon coriander
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
  Pine Nut-White Truffle Tortellinis:
• 3 ounces roasted pine nuts, finely chopped
• 2 ounces scallop meat, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoons minced sage
• Grated white truffle to taste
• 20 1.5 inch x 1.5 inch pasta sheets
• 2 Tablespoons egg wash
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  
  Roasted Chestnuts:
• 20 chestnuts, roasted, peeled and halved
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 8 ounces chicken stock
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  
  Fried Sage Leaves:
• 20 sage leaves
• Flour
• 1/2 cup grape seed oil
  
  Scallops:
• 30 U-12 Day Boat Divers Scallops
• 2 ounces grape seed oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
For Kuri Squash Soup:
Combine all ingredients except butter in a saucepot and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the sage and blend soup. Chef LeFevre prefers using a Vita-Mix blender. Pass soup through a chinois and season with salt and pepper. Then blend in the butter using a hand blender. Reserve hot until ready to plate.

For Seasoned Crème Fraiche:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and reserve until ready to plate.

For Brown Butter-Sherry Vinaigrette:
Sweat the garlic and shallot in the whole butter until translucent. Add sherry vinegar and brown sugar and reduce to 2 ounces. Let cool to room temperature. Blend the reduction with the browned butter until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and reserve until ready to plate.

For Pickled Red Pearl Onion:
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the sugar and vinegar. Reduce until it has a slightly syrupy consistency. Add the chicken stock, then bring to a simmer. Add the pearl onions and coriander. Braise until the onions are tender. Remove from the heat and let them cool in the braising liquid. Reserve until ready to plate.

For Pine Nut-White Truffle Tortellinis:
Combine pine nuts, scallop meat, cream, egg yolk, sage, and white truffle, then chill. Once the mixture is cold, fill each pasta sheet and form into tortellini shapes, sealing with the egg wash. Store uncovered in the refrigerator on a floured rack. When ready to serve, cook in boiling, salted water until al dente.

For Roasted Chestnuts:
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For Fried Sage Leaves:
Lightly dust sage leaves with flour and shake off excess. Drop them into hot oil and cook until crispy and bright green, less than a minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels.

For Scallops:
Saute scallops in grape seed oil until golden brown.

To Plate:
Pour 4 ounces of kuri soup into 10 hot bowls. Place 3 pickled onions, 4 halves of chestnut, 3 scallops, and 2 cooked tortellinis decoratively on top of the soup. Dollop the crème fraiche on each scallop and drizzle with brown butter sherry vinaigrette. Place 2 fried sage leaves in each bowl. Serve immediately.

Wine Pairing:
A creamy sparkling wine such as the Willm Cremant d’Alsace NV