"What's Cooking" with Chef Geoff Littlefield

Hello again, it's Punkin' Chunkin' Time! The leaves are starting to change and we have turned our clocks back! I am really looking forward to trying new recipes featuring our favorite flying gourd, the pumpkin!

While the Punkin' Bisque RockTober style isn't new to my friends who have tried my first attempt at church I have made a few alterations to the recipe so we'll jest see what we'll see. My Chili with Pumpkin recipe has a theme to it also, it's the Sea Witch Punkin' Chili. It features spooky things in it like "ribs of a newt, eyes of a toad, kidneys of a hare and good old grog!"

I, Lord willing will attend both events and I WILL be there on time by 11:00 am! I think tasting will be at noon on both Saturday and Sunday. Chili will feature both Chili with and without Pumpkin, so come and enjoy, I know I will.

Your Friend in the Kitchen, Chef Geoff

Pumpkin Bisque Rocktober Style
By Geoff Littlefield

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
2 leek stalks, chopped
1 small macintosh apple, cored, peeled and chopped
2 large cans pumpkin puree
5 cups chicken stock
1½ cups heavy cream
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 pound rockfish, cubed
¼ tsp. Ginger
½ tsp. Allspice
2 whole bay leaves

Preparation
In a large pan melt the butter and saute the onion, garlic, leeks and macintosh apple and cook until translucent and tender. Also lightly saute rockfish and set aside for later. In a large pot add the pumpkin puree, chicken stock and seasonings. After you combine the sauteed ingredients with the base, (minus the rockfish) let simmer for about 30 minutes. Place mixture in blender and puree until smooth and now add the rockfish. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes to finish cooking the rockfish, add the heavy cream, and simmer until heated and serve.

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