Spire's Sugar Pumpkin Bisque

1 t. allspice

1 t. clove

1 t. Chinese 5-spice powder

1 t. curry

1 t. cumin

1 t. star anise powder

1/4 C. butter

2 C. molasses

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1/2 C. brown sugar

7 sugar pumpkins (1 lb. each)

Olive oil

1 Vidalia onion, peeled and julienned

Salt and pepper

2 qt. chicken broth (or water)

1 C. creme fraiche (or sour cream)

In a medium saucepan, toast the spices over medium heat until they are aromatic, 1-2 minutes. Add the butter, molasses, vanilla bean and brown sugar. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool. Discard vanilla bean.

While sugar mixture is simmering, cut tops off 6 pumpkins and remove the inner seeds. Reserve the seeds. Place pumpkins on greased baking sheet cut side up.

Peel the seventh pumpkin. Cut off the top and bottom. Cut in half, clean and remove seeds and reserve. Then dice meat, coat in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in 350-degree oven until tender, 10-15 minutes. Cool and reserve for garnish.

Clean all of the seeds by rinsing under cold water. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in 350-degree oven until dry and toasted, 5-7 minutes. Cool and reserve for garnish.

Once the sugar mixture is cool, pour into the remaining 6 pumpkins. Bake in 350-degree oven for about 1 hour or until tender. When pumpkins are cool enough to handle, remove liquid into a container and reserve. Scrape all edible meat away from pumpkin skin and reserve. In a large stockpot, saute the onions in 2 T. olive oil until tender, 2-3 minutes. Add all the pumpkin meat, the reserved sugar liquid and just enough chicken broth or water to cover. Simmer for 1 hour.

In manageable portions, in a food processor or blender, puree the contents of the stockpot and the creme fraiche or sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Reheat soup gently, divide among 10 bowls and garnish with warmed diced pumpkin and toasted seeds.

Makes 10 servings.