Stunning Pumpkin Red Chile Bisque by Leslie B. Fay

When Charlie and I were in Taos, New Mexico, we went to a restaurant named "Graham's Grille". The owner/chef Lesley B. Fay made the most incredible soup: Pumpkin and Red pepper bisque. Unfortunately, Graham's Grille is no longer in business but we did get the recipe for this divine bisque and want to share it with you, you will fall in love!

Pumpkin Red Chile Bisque

Serves approximately 12 (or 2 people if you are like Charlie and me)

Ingredients:

Roasted or canned pumpkin 4 C

Milk 6 C

Heavy Cream 2 C

White Wine 3 C

marsala or sweet sherry

Dark rum ½ C

Orange juice 1 & ½ C

Cornstarch 1 TB

Chicken or vegetable paste ¼ to ½ C

Pumpkin spice ½ C

Red Chile Powder ¼ C

Brown sugar, packed ¾ to 1 C

Fresh ginger, micro peeled &grated 1 med knob

Cumin 2 TB

Cinnamon 2 TB

Allspice 1 TB

Thyme 1 TB

Nutmeg 1 TB

Black pepper ½ TB

Cardamom 1 tsp

Garlic powder 1 tsp

Fennel, ground 1 tsp

Instructions:

Start with a large saucepan. To the saucepan, add pumpkin, milk, cream, wine and rum. Slurry together orange juice and cornstarch until smooth, add to pumpkin cream mixture. Add chicken or vegetable base. Put heat on med-high and stir pumpkin cream mixture while cooking it to a boil.

Peel and grate the ginger and add to pumpkin-cream mixture.

Add all spices. Cook the bisque until the mixture just starts to boil. Turn off the heat. Taste to adjust any of the seasoning, sweetness, heat from chile or spices. If desired more cream can be added to the finish.

Serving:

Top bowls of soup with Mexican crema or Sour Cream Fraiche (sour cream mixed in equal amounts with heavy cream) and toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). Serve with crispy corn tortilla chips.