Butternut Squash Soup with Bourbon & Ginger and Radish Salad

For the Butternut Squash Soup

Yield: 8 servings (2 quarts)

3 pounds unpeeled butternut squash, halved and seeded
2 large unpeeled onions
1 small garlic bulb
1 ounce fresh ginger
1 ounce bourbon
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme
3 to 3- ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Sprigs fresh thyme, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash into eight large pieces. Place cut side up in a 15x10x1 in baking pan. Cut 1/4 in. off tops of onion and garlic bulbs (the end that comes to a closed point).
2. Place cut side up in baking pans. Brush with oil; sprinkle with thyme. Cover tightly and bake 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until vegetables are very tender. Uncover and let stand until lukewarm.
3. Using a metal teaspoon, scrape of the outermost skin of the ginger; proceed to mince ginger to 1/8th of an inch pieces. Over medium heat, saute ginger in 1 tsp of olive oil until tender. Remove pan from heat. Pour in 1 ounce of ginger and place back on stove under low heat. Reduce by half. Remove from stove.
4. Remove peel from squash and onions; remove soft garlic from skins. In a large bowl, combine vegetables (including ginger), broth and cream. Puree in small batches in a blender until smooth; transfer to a large saucepan. Add parsley, salt and pepper; heat through (do not boil). Garnish with thyme if desired.

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For the Radish Salad

2 cups sliced radishes (if using long cylinder radishes like icicle cut in half)
½ tsp kosher salt
1 cup sliced red onion about 1/8th of an inch
1 cup peeled, seeded and sliced cucumber, about 1/8 of an inch
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ea medium tomato cut in to 8 pieces
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp chopped oregano
2 pieces bacon ends, cooked
½ ounce chèvre

Directions

1. Toss radishes with salt; let stand for about 10 minutes. Drain any liquid and transfer radishes to a large bowl. Add red onion, tomato and cucumber slices.
2. Whisk olive oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and oregano in a small bowl until well mixed; pour over vegetables and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
3. Place salad in a bowl; top with chopped peppered bacon & crumbled goat cheese