Butternut Squash & Lobster Bisque with Crispy Seafood Dumpling

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 cups diced butternut squash
• 2 cups lobster stock (can substitute with vegetable or chicken stock)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped celery
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 springs fresh thyme
• 1 cup heavy cream
• pinch of pepper
• salt, to taste (some lobster or chicken stock may already be salty)

Preparation:

1. In a soup pot with medium heat, add vegetable oil, celery and onion. Saute for a minute, then add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
2. Add butternut squash and chicken stock and cook about 15-20 minutes until squash is soft.
3. Add heavy cream, salt and pepper and puree in blender until soup is smooth.

Crispy Seafood Dumpling

Ingredients:

• 8 spring roll wrappers
• 4 medium-size shrimp, finely chopped
• 2 scallops, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup crab meat
• 1/2 whole egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1/4 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/4 tablespoon onion powder
• pinch of paprika
• pinch of pepper and Aloha shoyu, to taste
• 2 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying dumpling

Preparation:

1. Combine shrimp, crab meat and scallop with one-half of beaten egg, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, green onions, pepper and shoyu sauce.
2. Scoop in one-half tablespoon of mixture and wrap with spring roll skin. Repeat for all wrappers.
3. Pre-heat oil to 320 degrees and fry dumpling about 2 minutes, or until golden crisp. Set aside.
4. When ready to serve soup, add a big dot of whipped cream and top with fried seafood dumpling.