Poached Trout with Nutmeg Pumpkin Soup.

For the nutmeg pumpkin soup, in a large saute pan, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions and pumpkin and saute until translucent. Add the white wine and heavy cream and simmer until the pumpkin is very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade attachment and puree until smooth. Strain, through a fine mesh sieve. Add the cinnamon, season, and reserve, keeping warm.

For the zucchini, in a medium saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until translucent. Add the zucchini and saute until tender, about three minutes. Remove from the heat, add the pumpkin seeds, and stir to combine. Season and set aside keeping warm.

For the trout, preheat a steamer to 325 degrees. Place the trout fillets on an aluminum foil-lined half sheet pan. Sprinkle with coriander and lime juice and season. Place in the steamer for five minutes, or until desired doneness. Remove from the heat and set aside keeping warm.

To finish the soup, using a hand held immersion blender, blend the soup until thick and foamy and set aside, keeping warm.

To serve, place a 2-inch ring mold in the center of a soup bowl, fill with zucchini, and remove the ring mold. Spoon some nutmeg pumpkin soup around the dish and sprinkle some pumpkin seed oil around the dish. Set a trout fillet on top of the zucchini, sprinkle with crushed red pepper, and garnish with chervil and fried potato strips.

(Serves 6)

For the nutmeg pumpkin soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 onions, peeled and diced

1 nutmeg pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and diced [*]

3/4 cup white wine

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Salt and white pepper to taste

For the zucchini:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

3 zucchini, diced

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

For the trout:

6 1-ounce skinless trout fillets

2 teaspoons ground coriander

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Crushed red pepper

Chervil

Fried potato strips

Pumpkin seed oil

(*.) Available through The Chef's Garden at [phone].