Ginger Pumpkin Bisque with Peppered Croutons
We don’t always end a holiday meal with pumpkin pie-sometimes we begin the feast with this spicy soup with its Caribbean island flavor. If you don’t want to use pumpkin, any winter squash, such as butternut, acorn or Hubbard, will do. This is an easy recipe to prepare, but if you want an even quicker version, used canned pumpkin puree or a 12-ounce package or frozen cooked winter squash as a base. This recipe is from Dave’s and my book, The Spicy Food Lover’s Bible.
Marinated Barramundi on the Barbie with Spicy Sauce
Christmas Down Under falls in the middle of summer and is often celebrated on the beach with the holiday feast cooked on the “barbie.” Prawns, steaks, chicken, and lobster, as well as fish, are all popular entree choices to be cooked on the grill. Barramundi is a white-fleshed fish popular in Australia but seldom found outside the country, but other fish such as cod or swordfish can be substituted.
Curry-Pumpkin Bisque
I don’t always serve pumpkin pie for desert at Thanksgiving. Sometimes I make a pumpkin cheese cake, muffins, or this spicy soup with an island taste. If you don’t want to use pumpkin, any winter squash will do. Use butternut, acorn, or Hubbard, or for preparation ease, use canned pumpkin puree.