Q: My husband and I recently had dinner at the Abbey in Atlanta. We ordered the squash soup, which was truly wonderful. Any chance of getting a copy of that recipe?

-- Cathy Saporito, Duluth

A: Bill Toro, chef de cuisine at the Abbey, was happy to provide the recipe. For this soup, butternut squash is slow roasted with fresh tarragon and thyme. The herbs infuse the squash, adding another dimension of taste. Toro drizzles the soup with cranberry coulis and garnishes it with lump crab meat cooked in a citrus fumŽ for a colorful marriage of tastes and textures.

-- Jeanne Besser, for the Journal-Constitution

SOUP

Butternut Squash Bisque With Cranberry Coulis

Makes 6 servings

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

2 pound butternut squash,

peeled, seeded and cubed

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cubed

2 ounces fresh tarragon

1/2 ounce fresh thyme

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 small onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 of a small onion

1/2 cup cranberries

1 cup white wine

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional for garnish)

For the soup: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash in roasting pan and cover with cheesecloth. Place butter, tarragon and thyme over cloth (herbs can also be placed next to the squash if cheesecloth is unavailable). Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, simmer cream, chicken broth, onion and bay leaves for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves, reserving liquid and onion.

Remove roasting pan from oven and cool slightly. Discard cheesecloth with tarragon and thyme. In a blender, combine squash and reserved juice and cream mixture. Process until totally smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

For the coulis: In a skillet, melt butter. Saute onion until translucent. Add cranberries, wine and sugar, bring to a boil and reduce by half. Cool slightly and puree until smooth. Pass through a sieve.

Reheat soup. Transfer to individual bowls and garnish with cranberry coulis and chopped chives.

Per serving: 571 calories (percent of calories from fat, 75), 8 grams protein, 29 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 47 grams fat, 155 milligrams cholesterol, 387 milligrams sodium.

Is there a restaurant recipe you'd like to make at home? Tell us what you're looking for and perhaps we can get it. If we succeed, we'll have the recipe tested and adapted for the home kitchen, if necessary. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, along with address and phone number, to:

Mail: Food Department, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.

E-mail: menu@ajc.com. Fax: 404-526-5509.