September Recipe From Chef: Pumpkin Bisque

September 17, 2010 at 1:36 pm (Willow Writers)

This is a recipe that will make your chilly fall days a little warmer and add a special touch to your autumn dinner parties. – Chef Haberle

Pumpkin Bisque

Makes about eight 8 oz bowls

½ cup fresh onion finely diced
¼ cup carrot, peeled and finely diced
¼ cup celery sliced thin
1 TBSP. fresh thyme. (dried will work as well )
½ stick butter
½ cup flour
½ cup Amaretto
1 quarts chicken stock, (College Inn brand is very good)
2 pounds fresh roasted pumpkin, (you can substitute canned pumpkin)
1 quart heavy cream
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. white pepper, (black will work also)
½ cup toasted sliced almonds

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut pumpkin in quarters. Drizzle with oil and place cut side down on a roasting rack.
2. Roast until tender, approximately 1 hour. Scoop out flesh and reserve.
3. Heat a 4 to 5 quart sauce pot and melt butter.
4. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and thyme. Sweat until tender.
5. Stir in the flour and cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally.
6. Add the Amaretto and deglaze the pan.
7. Add chicken stock and stir with a wire whip until the flour is dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer add heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin and cook for 40 minutes stirring occasionally.
8. Remove from heat and puree the mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth.
9. Season with salt to taste
10. Before serving, sprinkle four to five toasted sliced almonds on top of the soup