Chef Jesse’s Pumpkin Bisque

Jesse Jones started cooking with his mother in Snow Hill, North Carolina at age 14. After cooking with many Jersey chefs, including David Drake, he created his own style, which he calls New Carolina Cuisine, which is Southern with French technique. These days he runs Heart and Soul Catering in Essex County.

Ingredients:

2 tbs unsalted butter
1 tb olive oil
3 oz, thoroughly rinsed diced leeks (white parts)
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
5 oz diced celery
6 oz diced onions
3 1/2 cups diced, peeled pumpkin
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 fresh sage leaves
2 whole cloves
2 whole allspice
1 tablespoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 quarts vegetable stock (homemade or Kitchen Basics)
3 tablespoons sherry
Finish with a little hint of Mace

Preparation:

Place the bay leaf, thyme sprig and sage leaves, cloves, allspice together into cheesecloth, after cooking time this bouquet garni can be easily removed.

In a Dutch oven, melt butter, add olive oil over medium heat. add leeks, garlic, celery and onions, cook stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes.

Add the pumpkin, Bouquet garni Sea salt, fresh ground pepper, stir around to get a little more favor, add vegetable stock and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low cover and cook for 20 minutes, until pumpkin is fork tender. remove bouquet garni. Puree the soup in blender or hand held immersion, blend until smooth, pass the soup through a sieve, unite sherry add to soup. Finish with a hint of mace.

Suggestion: garnish, drizzle with a balsamic and maple reduction.
Add a dollop of crème De Fraiche

TO REACH CHEF JESSE
Heart and Soul Catering
973-580-2203

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