Velvety Pumpkin Bisque

About This Recipe

With the nights getting cooler and the days getting shorter, nothing warms the heart and home more than a pot of soup slowly simmering on the stove. And being October, it’s a given that the soup should be pumpkin, of course. I thought I would share a recipe for Velvety Pumpkin Bisque, a rich, hearty and creamy soup, perfect to enjoy on an autumn afternoon. The recipe comes from the first cookbook I ever bought, one of now hundreds I own. Published in 1987, the Good Housekeeping All-American Cookbook has been my go to collection of old school style recipes with pages of my favorite recipes dog-eared and covered in food stains as a testament to their taste worthiness.

Ingredients & Instructions

PUMPKIN BISQUE

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp minced green onions
1 16-ounce can pumpkin
1 cup water
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper (preferably white)
⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
2 chicken flavor bouillon cubes or envelopes
2 cups half and half

Melt butter in 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, add onions and cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the next 7 ingredients until blended and mixture begins to boil; continue cooking 5 minutes to blend flavors.
Add the half and half, heat through, stirring constantly.
Original recipe called for garnishing with minced parsley and a thinly sliced lemon. I have updated this recipe by garnishing with toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, and/or fried sage. Sage pairs well with pumpkin. See recipe below.

FRIED SAGE TOPPING

½ cup extra virgin olive oil, for ½ inch depth in medium pan
1 bunch fresh sage
Dash of salt

Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the sage leaves.
Fry for 15 seconds, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon or tongs. (Don’t let leaves turn brown or they will become bitter.)
Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with fine salt. Leaves will become crisp as they cool. Use them as a garnish or eat as a snack on its own. Enjoy.
For a Martha Stewart style impressive presentation, serve the soup in a pumpkin soup tureen. With a sharp knife, cut off the top ⅓ of a medium sized pumpkin. Scoop out the inside, leaving 1 inch of flesh. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle in your soup and serve.