Bisque of Apple & Curried Pumpkin

Pumpkin soups go well with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas menus when pumpkins are fresh and available, so try this recipe for a seasonal treat.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil  · 
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste  · 
• ½ cup milk  · 
• ½ cup heavy cream  · 
• 2 bay leaves  · 
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar  · 
• 1 cup white wine  · 
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped  · 
• Herbies Cayenne Pepper  ·  a pinch  
• 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock if preferred  · 
• Herbie's Curry Powder Mild Madras  ·  2 teaspoons 
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled & minced  · 
• 2 lb. Sugar Pie pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and chopped into small cubes  · 
• 4 apples, peeled, seeded and chopped  · 
• 6 green onions chopped  · 
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley  · 

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, green onions and apples and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion and apples are caramelized. Add the pumpkin, garlic, brown sugar and curry powder, sauté 2-3 minutes more. Add broth, wine, bay leaf, cayenne, and parsley. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cook until the pumpkin is tender.

Add heavy cream & milk bring to a simmer, add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove 2 bay leaves. Using a hand blender or food processor, puree soup until smooth consistency.

Adjust consistency to liking by adding additional heavy cream, broth & white wine if needed.

Refrigerated, the soup will keep for a week. Enjoy it more than once by using a different garnish to make subtle changes, for example:

Cinnamon Crème Fraiche - ½ cup crème fraiche, ½ t. cinnamon, 1 T brown sugar…stir until sugar is dissolved. Swirl into soup and top with roasted pumpkin seeds

Truffle Oil – Mix 1 tsp truffle oil with 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil and drizzle ¼ of the mix across each plate of soup.

Fresh Buttered Toast Croutons - Toast bread, (Sourdough, Italian or French loaf) remove crusts and spread remaining toast with butter. Cut into ½ inch squares and distribute into bottom of the plate then ladle the soup over the croutons.

Serve with WILLIAMSON WINES Frolic Viognier.