Smoked Butternut Squash Bisque with Poblano Cream
Smoked Butternut Squash Bisque with Poblano Cream is rich, creamy, comforting, and so delicious. Add a swirl of smoky and spicy poblano cream to the soup to kick up the heat and make it oh-so-pretty! I have some time-saving tips to help you get this decadent soup quicker. And hey, because the bisque does not have a cream base you will be saving on calories! A delicious dish for your healthier-eating plan as you begin the year. Another plus is that Smoky Butternut Squash Bisque can be made ahead; gaining flavor as it is stored!
Thank you Primo Grills for sponsoring this post! You all know how much I love my Primo Grill!
How to Smoke Butternut Squash
So I am a speedy cook, always wanting to prepare, cook, and serve a dish quicker! Here is my #1 tip for doing just that when smoking butternut squash. Plus, I am older and do not have the strength to push a chef’s knife through a raw butternut squash. Why the heck they are big and solid. Here are some of my tips after soooo many years of preparing butternut squash; see there is an advance to being older!
1. Wash the outside of the squash and thoroughly dry. You do not know where that squash has been plus even at my house the squash might have specks of dust.
2. Pierce the butternut squash with a fork or knife a few times. Aim at evenly piercing the squash on all sides. Place a piece of parchment paper or microwave safe paper plate into your microwave, and top with the butternut squash.
3. Microwave the squash, on HIGH, for about 7 minutes. The length of the cook in the microwave depends on the size of the squash. At this point, the squash is not totally cooked but is tender enough to easily cut into halves.
4. There are many smoking wood chunks you could choose for smoking butternut squash. My favorites are pecan, maple and cherry. I have not tried but feel confident that one hickory chunk and one apple chunk would be a nice combination. Let me know what you smoking wood you choose and how it turned out.
5. You can serve smoked butternut squash as a side dish without blending it into a bisque. After smoking the butternut squash as stated in the instructions, toss in a tablespoon of maple syrup, a sprinkle of ground coriander, and a squeeze of lime juice.
6. Change up the seasoning: Butternut loves any citrus, BBQ spices, chili spices, or Asian Spices.
7. Feel free to balance the spices and acidity to your palate! Make sure to write your changes down! I know you will be preparing, smoking and blending this comforting butternut squash soup a lot. And remember, the bisque gains flavor when stored.
How to Add Heat and Sweet to Butternut Squash Bisque
1. Crushed red pepper flakes is one way to add heat to Smoked Butternut Squash Bisque, about 1/2 teaspoon.
2. After blending the soup you could add a squirt of sriracha sauce or your favorite hot sauce. Start off by adding 1 teaspoon and go from there. IF YOU ARE MAKING the smoky poblano cream do not add heat to the soup base. The spicy cream adds quite a punch; like POW in your face heat. The heat can be tamed by taking the seeds out of the poblano. I love to keep the seeds and mix the cream into the soup. So delicious!
3. So you take a bite of soup just after you pour it into the bowl to heat up, your palate is wanting sweet. Start with 1/2 tablespoon agave, pure maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar, and go from there. I use a shot of fresh orange juice.
Did you receive a new Primo for a holiday gift?
Hey Newbie, you just received the best gift ever! I highly suggest you watch the videos on the Primo Grill website. Look for the Primo Life tab then go to Primo Academy.
Review the Primo Cooking Configurations card, found in your Primo Grill box, on how to set up your Primo Grill for “Grill & Sear”, “Grill & Roast”, “Bake, Roast, Smoke”. You will be using indirect heat in this recipe by using two ceramic heat deflector plates. Insert the heat deflector racks on the lowest position. Wrap the heat deflector plates in foil to help keep clean before inserting onto the heat deflector racks. Place the grilling racks on the highest position in the Primo Ceramic Oval Grill. I think you will absolutely love the Primo Grill on your first cook and every cook after!
WHY I LOVE MY PRIMO GRILL
1. It was easy to learn how to control the temperate with the draft vents. When my grill shot up to 325°F I thought I was doomed! I quickly shut the top daisy vent with only an 1/8-inch open. I closed the bottom vent to a 1/8-inch crack open. The temperature dropped to 275°F and held that temperature for an hour without vent adjustments!
2. American made ~ my purchase of Primo products helps my people I respect and love have a job.
The ceramic bowl retains heat so well!
3. Limitless in what I can grill and smoke. Okay, maybe not a huge pig but my Primo Grill handles an 8-pound pork loin beautifully!
CHECK OUT PRIMO CERAMIC GRILLS
That’s it for now!
As I write this, I just finished a bowl of Smoked Butternut Squash Bisque with Poblano Cream for breakfast!!!!
It is comforting, healthy, and a perfect cure for that chill of the morning. Enjoy!
Smoked Butternut Squash Bisque with Smoky Poblano Cream
Serves: 4-6 Prep Time: 12 minutes Smoke Time: 60 minutes
The Ingredients:
FOR THE BISQUE
1 butternut squash, about 3 pounds
1 large yellow or red onion
1 head garlic
1 red or green apple
1 tablespoons cooking oil
Sea salt
3-4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons grated ginger, about 2-inches grated
1/2 tablespoons apple vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons diamond salt
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove or allspice or cinnamon
Zest from orange, optional 1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon apple vinegar
FOR THE SMOKY POBLANO CREAM
Poblano Cream Swirl
1 medium poblano pepper
1 head of garlic
1 scallions, rough chop
1/4 cup loose cilantro
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons cream or milk, more if needed to thin
FINISHING TOUCH
1 cup roasted and salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or pistachios
Cilantro leaves
Queso Fresco or cheese crumbles of choice
SUGGESTED
Primo Lump Charcoal
2 pecan (3-inch) wood chunks
Primo QuickLights Fire Starters
FOR THIS DISH:
Primo Heat Deflector Racks, Primo Ceramic Heat Deflector Plates
Preparation Instructions:
Wash the outside of the butternut squash, and dry well. Pierce the squash 10 times with a fork to allow for steam to escape. Place butternut squash in the microwave, and cook on HIGH for 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cool for 5-10 minutes.
Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape and discard the seeds and membrane.
Wash the outside of the poblano pepper, and dry well, leave whole. Cut the onion in half lengthwise from stem end to root end. Cut just the tip of the root end off of the head of the garlic. Peel the apple and cut in quarters.
Place prepared butternut squash, onions, garlic, apples, and poblano onto a grill pan. Drizzle with cooking oil, and lightly sprinkle with salt.
Cooking Instructions
Use a full load of Primo lump charcoal. Light the charcoal with one or two fire starter cubes and leave the dome open. Place 2 pecan wood chunks at different ends of the lump charcoal. Wait 5-8 minutes for the charcoal to build a small bed of embers.
Arrange the Primo Heat Deflector Racks on the lowest position above the embers. Wrap the Primo Ceramic Heat Deflector Plates in aluminum foil (optional), and place on deflector racks. Place grilling racks on the highest position.
After small embers can be seen, close the dome with the bottom draft door and top vent fully open. Allow the temperature to reach 250°F then set the draft door to 1/2-inch open and the top vent to 1/2-inch open with the daisy wheel holes fully open. Adjust the top vent as needed to maintain the target temperature of 275°F.
Open the dome. Brush the grill grates with cooking oil. Place the butternut squash, cut side up, on grilling surface. Keep the remaining ingredients on the grill pan.
Smoke apples and garlic for 30 minutes. Smoke the poblano until completely soft, dependent on size 40-60 minutes. Smoke the butternut squash for 60 minutes or when pierced with a fork it is tender.
Remove the skin from the butternut squash, onions, garlic, and poblano pepper, and discard.
To Make BISQUE: Use a blender or immersion blender to puree the soup. Use a large stock pot or Dutch Oven to heat and finish cooking the bisque.
Blend butternut squash, onion, 3/4 of the garlic, apple, chicken broth, butter, grated ginger, 1/2 tablespoons apple vinegar, smoked paprika, sea salt, coriander, nutmeg, clove, orange zest, and lemon, apple vinegar, and orange juice to taste.
Bring bisque just below and boil then simmer on low for at least 15 minutes.
TO Make POBLANO CREAM: Use a mini blender or food processor to blend poblano with seeds (remove seeds for less heat), 1/4 of the smoked garlic, scallion, cilantro, sour cream, and cream. Process until smooth, to resemble a milkshake, with green speckles. If needed, add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
TO SERVE: Ladle Smoked Butternut Squash Bisque into bowls. Transfer smoked
poblano cream into a sandwich bag and snip the corner, or a bottle with a pouring
spout. Use the poblano cream to make a swirl in the soup. Garnish with cilantro leaves,
pepitas, and crumbled cheese. Serve warm with grilled bread.
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