Pumpkin Coconut Bisque
This lovely soup was the recipe of the week for our CSA members. They received sugar pumpkins along with many other delicious vegetables and I thought this bisque was the perfect meal for a chilly autumn evening. Also, if you’ve ever been curious about what a typical CSA box looks like here is the contents of what all 45 families received this week. It really is looking like Fall around Tumbleweed!
Beets, turnips, sugar pumpkins, sweet dumplings, baby potatoes, broccoli, leeks, onions, hot peppers, arugula and garlic. It’s a tasty time of the year here at the farm!
One thing Taylor and I are adamant about is that all of the CSA boxes are the same each week. It doesn’t always happen- some weeks we may only harvest 43 bunches of carrots and not 45 (we’ll supplement those last two boxes with something else but it’s always infuriating when that happens!) With that being said, we plan our seeding/planting schedule around our CSA so we’re always erring on the side of over production to ensure that we have enough for all of our members- plus additional for the farmers market (our restaurant accounts are a totally separate planning/scheduling component of our operation.) However, even when we err on the side of over production there are occasional times when things don’t produce the way we plan. There can be poorly germinated spinach, aphids attacking the kale or the absolute worst-a herd of deer decimating an entire crop of lettuce. The good news is that we keep our CSA members in the loop and they know what they can count on each week when we give them a heads up.
CSA mornings are really hectic around the farm. We’re up with the sun and harvesting at first light. Bunching, washing and assembling all of the boxes is extremely time consuming but once we’re packed up and ready to rock, the drive into Portland (where we drop off the majority of our CSA shares) is complete bliss. We’ve been listening to some awesome podcasts and it really is amazing how wonderful the simple act of sitting upright and getting blasted by the air conditioning can feel. It’s better than a tropical vacation!
This week we got to clink glasses with a lot of our members at our weekly drop off (Migration Brewing) and chat about our favorite Fall treats. Soup is definitely a comfort food this time of the year and I think we can all agree that a piping hot bowl of soup is medicine for the soul. Pair this festive bisque with a pumpkin beer and you’ll be in complete bliss. Grab a spoon and enjoy the soothing flavors of the season. Cheers from Tumbleweed Farm.
Pumpkin Coconut Bisque
Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Serves: 4
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 medium sized sugar pumpkins (2 1/2 cups pureed)
- 1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper + additional for more spice
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- pinch of salt + pepper to taste
- Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Carefully slice the pumpkins in half and scoop out the pumpkin seeds and stringy flesh. (Reserve the seeds for roasting if desired) Drizzle the pumpkins with 1 1/2 Tablespoons of olive oil and place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven until fork tender. About 45-50 minutes. Start checking the pumpkins after 35 minutes to ensure they don't burn. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before using a spoon to scoop out the flesh.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil. Once warm add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the the garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 more minutes. Stir in the pumpkin flesh, vegetable stock, maple syrup and spices. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the coconut milk and remove from the heat.
- Carefully, pour the soup into a high speed blender. Blend on a high setting until completely smooth and creamy. Return to the soup pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy with roasted pumpkin seeds and a cold pumpkin beer.
Notes
*Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary *Taste test as you go *Have fun in the kitchen and make the recipe yours by adding your own touches
Following your blog over the past years has given me a whole new appreciation for the work and planning that goes on behind the scenes for both running a farm and organizing CSA boxes. Lovely bisque, especially with those spices, and perfect for these rainy, cold days we’re having.
This sounds delicious- definitely on my menu for the weekend as the chill settles in finally here. What podcasts have you guys been listening to? I have a bit of a commute, and am always looking for good stuff to put on to make the drive more enjoyable.
I love soup, actually any kind. This sounds so good. On my list to make. Reading your Blog and all the hard work you and your Husband do, I can’t even imagine how hard. I have so much respect for you two! Amazing. Try to rest.
Arlene
I made this yesterday, served with crostini topped with homemade herbed ricotta, and it was just perfect. Subtle heat and a creamy finish – thank you for the inspiration!
wow! I just made this soup and absolutely love it. Fortunately my pumpkins yielded more pumpkin flesh than I had calculated, so I doubled the recipe. I’ll freeze some & look forward to enjoying this many times. It’s very tasty. Thanks for the recipe.