The Dish: The Hawthorne Hotel--Pumpkin Apple Bisque

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbl. Butter
1 cup onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth, fresh stock or from bouillon
1 sugar pumpkin or 3 cups canned pumpkin
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced or 1 can applesauce
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. coriander
½ tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cumin
1 dried or 1 tsp. canned chipotle pepper, ground or chopped
2 cups apple cider
1 ½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper

METHOD:

Melt butter in a heavy soup pot. Add the onions and sauté until they are golden brown and caramelized. Add the garlic and spices, sauté a little more. As the onions are cooking roast the pumpkin in the oven for about 1 hour at 350 degrees or until soft to the touch with a knife. This can be done ahead. Scrape out interior pumpkin flesh and add it to the sautéed onions and garlic. Discard the peels and seeds. Add the stock, the apples and chipotle. Simmer ingredients for 15 min., add the apple cider and puree the soup. Bring to a simmer for 5 min., add the cream, adjust with salt and pepper and bring back to a simmer. Top the bisque with cinnamon mascarpone and toasted pepitas (Mexican pumpkin seeds) for each serving.

(Copyright (c) 2008 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)