Equipment
Ingredients
Produce and Fungi
- 800 g sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 250 g fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
- 15 g dried shiitake mushrooms, whole caps
- 100 g shallots, minced
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 2 g fresh thyme, whole sprigs
Pantry and Liquids
- 750 ml vegetable stock, warmed
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 120 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 50 g unsalted butter, divided
- 30 ml olive oil
- 10 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 g ground nutmeg
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Toss the cubed pumpkin with olive oil and half of the kosher salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until tender and caramelized at the edges.
Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl. Pour 250ml of the warmed vegetable stock over them and let steep for 20 minutes to rehydrate the mushrooms and create an infused broth.
In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, melt half of the unsalted butter. Add the sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms and sauté until they release their moisture and become deeply browned, about 8 minutes. Remove a small handful of the best-looking slices to reserve for garnish.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining unsalted butter to the pot along with the minced shallots and garlic. Sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Do not let the garlic burn.
Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned mushroom and shallot bits stuck to the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
Add the roasted pumpkin, the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms along with their soaking liquid, the remaining vegetable stock, and the fresh thyme sprigs. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Working in batches if necessary, transfer the soup to a blender and blend on high until entirely smooth. Be cautious when blending hot liquids.
Pass the blended puree through a fine mesh strainer back into the pot, using a ladle or spatula to press the liquid through. Discard the fibrous pulp remaining in the strainer to achieve a classic, refined bisque texture.
Place the pot over low heat. Stir in the heavy cream, black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Heat gently until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved sautéed shiitake mushrooms.
Chef's Notes
- To make this recipe vegan and dairy-free, substitute the heavy cream with full-fat oat milk or a neutral cashew cream, and use olive oil instead of butter.
- Do not discard the stems from the fresh shiitake mushrooms. They are too tough for the bisque but make an excellent addition to homemade vegetable stock.
- Straining is what defines a bisque versus a standard pureed soup. Taking the extra five minutes to pass the liquid through a fine mesh strainer elevates the mouthfeel from rustic to restaurant-quality.
- The soaking liquid from the dried shiitakes is liquid gold. Pour it carefully into the pot, stopping just before the gritty sediment at the very bottom of the bowl is reached.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will deepen overnight.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze before adding the heavy cream to prevent splitting upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Do not allow to boil.
