Creamy Cauliflower Bisque With Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Bisque
1 Yellow onion, diced
1 Head cauliflower, florets removed, stem discarded
1/2 Cup arborio rice
5 Cups spring or filtered water
Mirin
Sea salt
Pumpkin Seed Pesto
1 Cup pumpkin seeds
1 Cup loosly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 Cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 Cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp white miso
1/4 Teaspoon chili powder
Juice of 2 lemons
Spring or filtered water, if needed
1/2 red bell pepper, roasted over an open flame, peeled, seeded, and finely diced, for garnish
To make the bisque: Place the onion, cauliflower and rice into a soup pot. Add the water, a generous splash of mirin and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the cauliflower is soft, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the soup, by ladle fulls, to a food processor and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and keep the soup at a simmer while making the pesto.
To make the pesto: Place the pumpkin seeds, basil, parsley and olive oil in a food processor and pulse into a coarse paste. Add the miso, chili powder and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. You may need to add a small amount of water to puree properly, but keep the pesto thick, so that it holds it’s shape in the soup.
To serve, spoon the soup into individual bowls and scoop a generous dollop of pesto in the center of each bowl and sprinkle with the bell pepper.
This recipe is printed with permission from Christina Pirello
