Western Massachusetts

Feeling fancy? Feeling French? Chef Daniel Martinez of Bistro Les Gras in Northampton shared one of his favorite seasonal recipes that uses pumpkin for you to try! Check out his Bisque d’Homard et Citrouille á la Curry (curried lobster and pumpkin bisque).

Bistro Les Gras offers some of the finest sustainable, farm-to-table French cuisine in the heart of Western Massachusetts. It has received an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine the past four years in a row. The menu changes daily to ensure use of the freshest produce when it’s at its peak. Almost everything served at Bistro Les Gras is made in-house from scratch, from the baguettes and fresh churned butter to the ketchup and bacon. They even get in whole animals, butcher them in house and make sure every last part is used. Enjoy Flight Night every Tuesday, when you can get three tastes of wine for just $5, and check out their other special events and dinners.

Bisque d’Homard et Citrouille á la Curry
(curried lobster and pumpkin bisque)

2 lobsters
1 cooking pumpkin, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 1 qt of meat)
2 onion, diced
2 celery stalk, diced
2 leeks (white part only)or fennel, thinly sliced
4 bay leaf
½ C cognac
½ C white wine
1 tsp white peppercorn
1 tsp cardamom pods
1 tsp cumin seed
1 Tbsp turmeric, ground
¼ t mustard seed
Pinch cayenne
½ C fresh squeezed lemon juice
4 T butter
½ C cream
Cilantro (garnish)
Olive oil (garnish)

1. Steam lobsters until bright red and cooked through, 15-18 minutes. Pick meat and reserve. Lightly toast the shells and let cool. Place shells on a sturdy cutting board and cover with a towel. Take a mallet or a hammer and crush shells as best you can.

2. In a large stock pot add crushed shells, bay leaves, 1 onion, I celery stalk, 1 leek, white wine and enough water to cover the bones by a ½”. Bring to simmer and skim off any foam that arises. Cook for 45 minutes then strain and clean pot.

3. While stock is simmering- toast peppercons, cardamom, cumin and mustard until dark in color and very fragrant. Grind in spice grinder with turmeric and cayenne and reserve.

4. Place remaining leek, onion, and celery in the pot along with butter and cook over moderate heat until all vegetables are soft. Add pumpkin and spice blend to pot, cook for two minutes then add cognac and reduce by half (be careful, it may burst into flame). Add enough reserved lobster broth to cover pumpkin by an inch and simmer until pumpkin is falling apart soft, adding more broth (or water) as you go if needed.

5. Puree soup in a food processor or blender and stir in cream and lemon juice. If soup is too thick, add a little lobster broth or water to thin out. Season well with salt and garnish with reserved lobster meat, fresh cilantro and olive oil.