Pumpkin Pottage with Kale, MahiMahi & Bacon

A delightful blend of flavors in a comforting pumpkin-based pottage dish featuring kale, MahiMahi, and crispy bacon.

Ingredients

2	½-3 cups cooked pumpkin pulp
5	5-6 handfuls chopped kale
1	cup 1 cup lima beans, frozen or fresh
1	1 piece filet of MahiMahi or other white fish
6	cups 6-8 cups filtered water
1	cup ¼ cup white cooking wine
2	2 pieces stalks celery w/leaves
1	1 piece onion, chopped
4	4-6 pieces bacon
1	tablespoon 1 tablespoon butter
1⁄2	teaspoon ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄4	teaspoon ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2	teaspoon ½ teaspoon turmeric
	sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

• 1. In a large pot, cook the bacon slices until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pot and place on a paper towel to drain. In the same pot, add butter to the bacon fat and melt over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the celery and onion. Cook until the onion turns translucent, stirring occasionally, approximately 10 minutes.
  2. Pour the white cooking wine over the celery and onion, and let it reduce for about 3-4 minutes. Add 6 cups of filtered water, the cooked pumpkin pulp, ground ginger, ground cumin, turmeric, and season with salt and pepper. Stir well. Add the chopped kale and lima beans. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes until the kale and beans are tender, adding more water if needed. Stir occasionally.
  3. For the MahiMahi: It is recommended to gently sauté the fish in a pan with butter or olive oil for a few minutes on each side before adding it to the pottage, ensuring a flaky texture. Break the fish into chunks and add it to the pottage. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
  4. Alternatively, you can cut the fish into chunks and cook it directly in the pottage for approximately 4 minutes until done.
  5. Taste the pottage and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with crispy bacon bits. Serve immediately. For an extra touch, add grated hard Manchego cheese just before serving.
  6. Scullery notes: (1) If using frozen fish, ensure it is completely thawed before cooking to avoid excess moisture. (2) Frozen lima beans can be used without thawing. (3) Depending on the size of the butternut squash, you may have extra pulp for future use. Freeze the extra pulp by baking, mashing, and storing in a freezer-safe container. Thaw thoroughly before using in pottage or soups.

Jul 19, 2024