Fire-Roasted Sweet Potato
& Pear Bisque
This is a hearty soup for the chilly days of autumn. The pears add a sweet and fruity note to the fire-roasted flavor of the sweet potatoes.

• 2 cups peeled, cored and diced Bartlett pears
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 cup diced bacon
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onions
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups Fire Roasted Sweet Purée
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

In a small bowl, combine the diced pears and lemon juice. Mix well to coat the pears with the lemon juice. Place the bowl in the refrigerator.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepot until lightly smoking. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove the bacon from the saucepot with a slotted spoon leaving the bacon fat in the saucepot. Drain the cooked bacon on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside for garnishing. Add the onions and garlic to the saucepot with the bacon fat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the thyme, salt, cayenne and pears. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the fire-roasted sweet potato purée, vegetable broth, cream and vinegar. Stir until well combined. Bring the soup to a simmer, turn the heat to the lowest possible temperature, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the butter until melted.

Ladle 2 cups of the soup into a blender, cover with the lid and place a towel over the lid. Blend on the lowest speed for several seconds and then increase the speed to purée the soup. Pour the puréed soup into a second pot and repeat the process until all of the soup is puréed. Season the soup to taste with the salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with a pinch of the chives and the cooked bacon.

Makes 6 8-ounce servings.