From the fall/holiday 2017 issue,  Executive Chef Stacy Cogswell, from the The Inn at Hastings Park, in Lexington, MA,  shared her Pumpkin Bisque with Roasted Garlic Marshmallows and Spiced Pepitas recipe.  

Yield: 8 to 10 Servings

Pumpkin Bisque Ingredients:

 1 (4 lb Pumpkin) – Work with a fresh pumpkin vs canned.  Canned will cause an artificial taste.

2 ½ lbs bacon, chopped

2 ½ lbs onions sliced

1 lb leeks, sliced

2 cups sherry

2 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp Chinese five spices

5 sage leaves

2 tsp chili flakes

2 tbsp salt

4 quarts vegetable stock

Top with:

Roasted Garlic Marshmallows – recipe on following page

1 – 2 tbsp Spiced Pepitas - recipe on following page

1 tsp sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Pumpkin Bisque Instructions:

Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds.  Roast the pumpkin cut-side down until tender, about 1 hour.  Once cool enough to handle, scrape out the flesh and throw the skin away. Set pumpkin aside.

Render the bacon in a stockpot for 15 minutes. Add the onions, leeks, sherry and cook for 15 minutes, until tender. Add the roasted pumpkin and vegetable stock. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender. If making ahead, allow the soup to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Pour the hot bisque into your serving bowl and drop in the marshmallows. A kitchen torch can be used to brulee the top of the marshmallows. Sprinkle the pepitas and seal salt on top.  Serve right away. 

For the Spiced Pepitas:

 Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup pepitas

2 tbsp canola oil

2 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper

1 ½ tsp Cajun seasoning

(Chef recommended brand – McCormick)

 For the Roasted Garlic Marshmallows:

 Roasted Garlic Puree:

2 cups garlic cloves

2 cups canola oil

Marshmallow Syrup:

1 cup water

2 2/3 cups granulated sugar

½ tsp cream of tarter

½ tsp salt

Marshmallows:

¼ cup + 1 tbsp cold water

2 gelatin packets or 1 ½ tsp gelatin

1/3 cup water

¾ Marshmallow Syrup

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 cup Roasted Garlic Puree

For the Pepitas, mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in the pre-heated oven until toasted and slightly dark, about 10 minutes.

 For the Roasted Garlic Puree, place the garlic and canola oil into a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the garlic browns and is soft, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Once the garlic and oil have cooled, strain the oil and set it aside (this can be used for other cooking projects).  Puree the garlic in a blender or, if you don’t have a blender, you can place the garlic in a bowl and crush it using the back of a spoon until it forms a paste.

 For the Marshmallow Syrup, place all of the ingredients into a 4-quart (4-1) heavy pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Insert candy thermometer into the pan, and boil, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 140 degrees.  Remove syrup from the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes.

To make the Marshmallows, place the cold water and gelatin into the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer. Set aside to allow the gelatin to bloom.

In a saucepan, bring the rest of the ingredients, except the garlic puree, to a boil.  Cook until the temperature reaches 280 degrees.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Turn on the mixer and start breaking up the bloomed gelatin on low speed, then slowly drizzle in all of the sugar mixture.  Once all of the sugar mixture is in the bowl, cover with a towel and turn the speed to high.  Whip for 10 – 15 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add the garlic puree in batches on medium speed.

Spray a half sheet pan with pan spray and cover it with plastic wrap.  Spray the plastic wrap with pan spray.  Pour the marshmallow mixture onto the plastic wrap and level it out using a spatula.  Cover it and refrigerate for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, you can cut the marshmallows into ½-inch-size pieces. If not using them right away, you can store them covered in a refrigerator for up to a month. 

Recipe previously published in the fall/holiday 2017 issue of New England Fine Living magazine.