Pumpkin Bisque with Parmesan Seeded Bread Croutons

Fall may be my favorite season of the year. When the leaves start to change and you wake up to frost on the ground, leaves rustling, and the smell of a fireplace lingering in the morning air- it's a wonderful time of the year. Time for making apple butter, fruitcakes, hearty stews, and belly-warming soups.

Pie Pumpkin squash is great for this soup but any firm, meaty winter squash, such as butternut, acorn, and cushaw will work just fine. I especially like cushaw, a striped crookneck winter squash, which is very hearty and will keep in a cool pantry all winter and sometimes until the next harvest if it is stored correctly.

So on a crisp fall day put a pot of this on the stove and enjoy a delicious soup for dinner with a nice salad of bitter greens topped with Parmesan Seeded Bread Croutons and your favorite dressing. The croutons are a great crunchy topper for the soup too, if you want to skip the salad! Enjoy! -Eric

Makes 20 servings

Bisque Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Butter
• 4 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 3 Leeks, sliced and rinsed
• 2 stalks Celery, diced
• 1 large Onion, diced
• 8 cups 1-inch cubes fresh Pumpkin or other Winter Squash
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh Thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh Sage
• 2 quarts Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• 1 tablespoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground Black Pepper
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• 2 cups Heavy Cream or Half and Half
• Crème Fraîche or Sour Cream for garnish 
• Fresh Chives

Preparation

1. In a large soup pot melt butter and sauté garlic, leeks, celery, and onions until soft.
2. Add pumpkin, bay leaves, thyme, sage, chicken stock, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
3. Cook until veggies are soft, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Add heavy cream and puree the soup.
5. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve steaming hot.
6. Garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche and a few snipped chives if desired.

Parmesan Seeded Bread Croutons Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons Butter, melted
• 1 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh Oregano, chopped (0r 1 tsp dried)
• 1 teaspoon fresh Thyme, chopped (or ⅛ tsp dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh Garlic, minced 
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 5 slices Seeded Bread cut into cubes

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix butter, Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, and salt together in a large bowl; add bread cubes and turn with a spatula to coat. Spread coated bread cubes onto a baking sheet.
2. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm on Bisque.

Note: Cool croutons completely before storing in an airtight container.