
Blue Hubbard Bisque
Recipe courtesy of Colin Moody, Executive Chef, The Club at Pasadera, Monterey, Calif.
Ingredients
- Blue Hubbard squash or other Hard Squash - 1 medium to large, cut into 4-5” pieces, seeds removed
- olive oil - 1 Tbsp., plus more for drizzling
- shallots - 1/2 cup, chopped
- garlic cloves - 4 ea., pressed or minced
- maple syrup - 1 tsp.
- ground nutmeg - 1/8 tsp.
- white pepper - to taste
- sea salt - to taste
- vegetable broth - 3-4 cups, as needed
- butter - 1-2 Tbsps., to taste
- toasted pumpkin seeds with chili and lime - to garnish
- creme fraiche or sour cream with clove and orage - to garnish
- sage oil - to garnish
Instructions
Procedure:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the pan and drizzle each half with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash on the inside (about ½ tsp. each). Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
- Place the squash skin side down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 40 to 50 minutes. Don’t worry if the skin or flesh browns, that’s good for flavor. Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, warm 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat, and then add the chopped shallot and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often until the shallot has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups of the vegetable stock and bring to simmer. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer the contents to your blender or food processor.
- Scoop the cooked squash meat out of the skin and into the blender with the stock, onions and garlic. Add the maple, nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Securely fasten the lid. Blend on high, being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid. Stop once your soup is ultra-creamy.
- If you would like to thin out your soup a bit more, stir in the remaining cup of broth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend well. Taste and stir in more salt and pepper, if necessary.
- To serve, warm in your soup pot over medium heat, stirring often, until it’s nice and steamy.