Spindletop Pumpkin Almond Bisque
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons celery, chopped
3 tablespoons onion, chopped
2 cups cooked pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons almond paste
3 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups light cream
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons amaretto
salt to taste
toasted pumpkin seeds as garnish
Remove pulp from a pumpkin, cutting so that the shell can be reserved as a serving container. Simmer pulp in small amount of stock until tender. Puree in blender. Melt butter in heavy pan; add celery and onions and simmer 5 minutes. Add to the pumpkin in blender along with tomato paste and almond paste. Blend until smooth; return to pot with chicken broth and simmer 30 minutes. Blend cream into the soup. Cook until hot. Season with nutmeg, pepper, salt and amaretto. Serve in pumpkin shell and float toasted pumpkin seeds on each serving.
