I’m sorry I’ve been MIA for the past two days. There is this little thing called “flash flooding” going on all around us. Let’s just say it’s been a scary and insane week. Unfortunately, we are in for round 2 in the next 24 hours and the rain just doesn’t seem to want to stop. I’ve tried to explain to family and friends that we hardly ever get any rain. They don’t seem to want to believe me. Ha! With that being said, we are still currently hiding out in our townhouse (which thankfully is a 3 story town house). Let’s just go ahead and say that rain and soup just belong together. It’s also an easy and cheap way to serve a lot of people, and in our case, that just means a ton of leftovers. Which is fine with me, since we may trapped for a little while. Pumpkin soups are hit or miss with me. A lot of times I think that they are overly pumpkin and/or overly sweet. Today we decided to tackle a curried pumpkin bisque with mustard croutons. This soup has the perfect amount of sweetness and the perfect amount of spice. The mustard croutons really tone down the sweetness. It’s the perfect Fall soup with the absolute perfect Fall beer pairing!
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Bisque Facts:
1. I’m a sucker for a good curry dish. I tend to overdo the curry. In this recipe, I mentioned to used 2 tablespoons of curry. I actually used 3 tablespoons, but 2 tablespoons may be too much for you. You can always tone the amount down if you like or increase it! My advice would be to start with a small amount and work your way up. You can always add more. You can’t always take away.
2. Some people like a creamier soup. We are not those people. I thinned this soup out a lot with extra broth. If you enjoy a heavier pumpkin bisque then don’t use quite as much broth, and maybe add a little more half and half.
3. This dish can quickly become vegetarian. Remove the bacon and the chicken broth. Sub the chicken broth for vegetable broth, and use either more butter or oil when you saute.
We picked up a great little number in Epic Brewing and DC Brau’s Imperial Pumpkin Porter from the liquor store the other day. This is a collaboration brew and is part of Epic’s Exponential Series. It is, well let’s just say it, absolutely spectacular. It may quite possibly be one of the best Imperial Pumpkin Porters I’ve ever had. Well actually, it may be one of the best plain old Imperial Porters I’ve ever had. It isn’t overly pumpkiny, which is fine by me. At the same time, the pumpkin doesn’t get lost. It’s perfect for this pairing because of it’s richnes, but it doesn’t go overboard. It’s a perfect sipping beer and would also be great with your favorite pumpkin dessert. Try it out!
Well for those of our friends and family in Colorado. Stay safe. Stay dry. Eat pumpkin soup, and drink a pumpkin brew! Happy second week of football!
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This curried pumpkin bisque is warm and comforting. It has just that small hint of sweetness that you crave with pumpkin dishes.
Ingredients
- FOR THE MUSTARD CROUTONS
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2 cups pumpernickel breads, cubed
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2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
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1 tablespoon dijon mustard
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salt
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pepper
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2 tablespoons olive oil
- FOR THE PUMPKIN BISQUE
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4 strips bacon, diced
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2 tablespoons butter
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1 medium onion, diced
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1 large apple, cored, peeled and diced
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3 garlic cloves, minced
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2 tablespoons curry powder
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4 cups chicken broth, divided
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1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
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salt
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pepper
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1 teaspoon chili powder
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3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
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2 bay leaves
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3/4 cup half and half
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2 tablespoons brown sugar
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grated monterey jack cheese
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toasted pepitas
Directions
- First you will prepare your pumpernickel mustard croutons. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, mustards, a dash of salt and pepper and the olive oil. Toss the ingredients until they are evenly coated. Pour the bread onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 7-8 minutes or until toasted and brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool completely.
- For the bisque, place the bacon in a 5 quart, cast iron dutch oven and saute over medium heat until crispy and brown, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the butter to the bacon grease. Let melt and then add the onion and apple. Saute for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and again saute for another minute. Now sprinkle in the curry powder and cook again for another minute. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the chicken broth into the mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes until just heated through. Transfer the soup to a blender (be careful, it’s hot!) and add the pumpkin puree. Pulse until completely smooth and transfer back to the cast iron dutch oven. At this point, add the rest of the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper and add the chili powder, ground cumin and bay leaves. Bring the soup to a boil then lower to a simmer. Stir in the half and half and the brown sugar and let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste when you are ready to serve.
- Serve warm and top with monterey jack cheese, pepitas, bacon and mustard croutons. Enjoy!
Tips
- Hardware: * Baking Sheet * Foil * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons * Wooden Spoon * Large Bowl * 5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven * Paper Towel-Lined Plate * Blender * Ladle * Sharp Knife * Cutting Board *
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