
Pumpkin Bisque with Spiced Candy Pepita Brittle
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients:
- 1-5 lb Fresh Pumpkin or 3 ½ cups Pumpkin Puree
- 1 sweet potato, rinsed
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 Spanish onion, medium dice
- 1 quart of vegetable broth
- 1 pint of heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
- Slight pinch of clove
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparing the pumpkin and sweet potato puree:
This can be done up to 48 hours before making the soup.
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
- If using a whole pumpkin, rinse the dirt off and cut the pumpkin in half, remove and discard the seeds. Place it cut side up on a pan and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- After fifteen minutes, flip the pumpkin and continue cooking until it is soft to the touch (approximately 20 minutes). Let cool.
- Once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scrape the soft pulp into a bowl. Discard the skin.
- Poke two to three holes into the sweet potato. Place in a baking pan and bake in the oven until soft to the touch.
- Once cool enough to handle, cut the potato in lengthwise and remove the pulp with a spoon.
Discard the skin.
Making the bisque:
- Melt the butter in sauce pot over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook until they’re soft and translucent.
- Add the pumpkin and sweet potato puree and stir well, cook for an additional two minutes.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat, simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the cream and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in spices, and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Puree bisque in a blender. For safety sake, only add enough liquid to fill your blender jar half way. Start by pulsing, then puree on low for two minutes or until smooth.
- Adjust the seasoning as needed.
- If serving immediately, bring the finished bisque back to a boil and garnish with candy Pepita, otherwise cool completely before storing.
(Shelf life: 2-3 days in a refrigerator)
Spiced Candy Pepita Brittle
Can be served as a bar snack or as a garnish for pumpkin bisque
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw Pepita (shelled pumpkin seeds)
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
- 1/8th tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp salt
Preparing the Spiced Candy Pepita Brittle
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Spread pepita on a baking sheet, and bake in the oven until lightly toasted (approximately 5 minutes).
- Make a simple syrup by combining water and sugar in a pot and bringing to a boil. Add the spices and mix well.
- Meanwhile line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat liberally with nonstick spray.
- Add the Pepita to the simple syrup and boil for two minutes.
- Remove the Pepita from the simple syrup with a slotted spoon and place on the pan with parchment paper.
- Spread Pepita evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove the brittle from the oven and cool.
- Once cooled remove from the paper and break the brittle up into shards.
- Place in an air tight container until you are ready to use.
(Shelf Life: 2 weeks )