Fall is here, and the scent of pumpkin, apple and cinnamon fill the air. It’s time to pull out those recipes for thick and hearty soups, stick-to-your-ribs casseroles and warm, fruit-filled desserts. If you’re craving comfort food, give this butternut pumpkin bisque with Gorgonzola cream and chipotle mascarpone a try. It won’t only satisfy that craving for savory, but it is loaded with vitamin A, a great source of fiber and can boost your immune system.
Butternut Pumpkin Bisque with Gorgonzola Cream and Chipotle Mascarpone
(1) 2 pound piece of pumpkin
5 cups chicken broth, plus 1 cup, if needed
1 cup apple juice
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, sliced
4 shallots, sliced
½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 strips pepper bacon, for garnish
Gorgonzola Crème
¾ cup crumbled Gorgonzola (4 ounces)
½ cup heavy cream
Chipotle Mascarpone
3 chipotle chiles in adobo
1 teaspoon adobo sauce
1 cup (8 ounces) Mascarpone, cold
Peel the pumpkin and scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut into 2-inch cubes and place in a large saucepan. Pour the chicken broth and apple juice over the pumpkin, and simmer over medium low until soft when pierced with a fork (about 30 minutes).
In a medium skillet, melt butter and sauté the onion, shallots, and rosemary over medium low heat until soft and just beginning to brown. Add them to the pumpkin and continue simmering for 15 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, puree the pumpkin in the saucepan until smooth. Alternatively, pour the pumpkin into a blender and puree until completely smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 15 minutes. The soup should be thick, but if it is too thick, add another cup of chicken broth.
In the meantime, cook the bacon in a small skillet over low heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, crumble the bacon into a small serving dish.
For the Gorgonzola Crème, combine the Gorgonzola and the cream in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until smooth. Place in a small serving dish.
For the Chipotle Mascarpone, puree the chipotle chiles and the adobo sauce in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the cold Mascarpone and continue processing, just enough to incorporate all the ingredients. Place in a small serving dish.
To serve, ladle the pumpkin bisque into soup bowls. Pass the bacon, the Gorgonzola Cream, and the Chipotle Mascarpone for guests to dollop on top. They can add one or all three, depending on their preference.
Serves 8
Copyright © 2007 by Paula Lambert, Cheese, Glorious Cheese, all rights reserved.
Craving more comfort food? Check out The Most Decadent Cheese Sandwich of All.
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