Squash Bisque, Country Style,

Squash Bisque, Country Style
(Jamaica)

1 large winter squash, or a combo of several small ones.
It should be about 2c. of squash meat(I used butternut, acorn or even spaghetti squash)
Peeled and cut into chunks.
1 clove of garlic
1 pinch each marjoram, thyme and allspice
1 small onion finely chopped sautéed
½ tsp. sugar ( I use brown)
1/3c. sherry
1 slice lean bacon, fried crisp, crumbled
1 c. tomatoes
1 carrot
2 stalks celery
1 small potato (or 1 sweet potato)
2 tbsp. pearl barley/or rice
1 bay leaf
Tsp. Tabasco
6. c. stock/ beef/ chicken or vegetable

In a large sauce pan, fry bacon, when the bacon is crisp remove it and set aside to crumble for topping. Using the grease from the bacon, sauté onions, garlic which has been grated, celery chopped up, add marjoram, thyme and allspice. When the onions are translucent the mixture is done. I place all of this in a blender and crush it, that way my boys are not picking out the onions. Return to saucepan, add the stock, and potato, carrot, squash, bay leaf. Let cook until vegetables are tender, I like to use a potato masher to break things up, then I add the pearl barley and crushed tomatoes and bay leaf. Cook until all the flavours have a chance to mingle, approx. 30 min. (on med. Heat) add sugar and sherry and Tabasco. Serve with bacon crumbled on top of each bowl, with saltines or croutons. I also cut my bacon just ½ inch off the end of the lb. instead of fussing with a slice and then trying to crumble it up. Enjoy.

This recipe was given to my by Lois, my painting pal. I’m sure I’ve made personal adjustments so. .. I often leave the bay leaf out, just because my mother never cared for bay leaves and she was often at the table when I served this , and I have added a red pepper to my sauté and left out the Tabasco, I like the sweet potato as well and I like to mix up all different squashes. If I use the spaghetti squash alone I don’t use the potatoe masher to break up the vegtables, or I add the spaghetti squash after I mash.