Make this bisque from Bin 707, and serve with the Storm Cellar Double Switchback

By Kristen Kuchar

This bisque comes from Josh Niernberg, a James Beard Outstanding Chef semifinalist. The owner of Bin 707 Foodbar in Grand Junction uses small fingerling-style, Colorado-grown yellow potatoes from the San Luis Valley for this recipe. He notes the key is a very low-starch and high-sugar content potato. His suggested wine pairing is the Double Switchback from Storm Cellar, a rosé made from a blend of riesling, pinot noir and pinot gris. “Each grape on their own pair to different attributes of the bisque – the pinot noir to the trout roe, sausage and fingerling chips, the riesling to the aromatics and the potatoes themselves, and the pinot gris to the creaminess and overall texture,” Niernberg says. “As a wine, the Double Switchback makes the case for a terroir driven light-bodied rosé pairing and complementing the depth of both flavor and texture from the Colorado-grown potato bisque.”

Ingredients:
(yields approximately 8 large servings)
For the Bisque:
2 diced yellow potatoes (skin on – stored in water to prevent oxidation until needed)
¼ diced yellow onion
¼ cup diced celery
¼ diced fennel bulb
4 oz ‘Nduja Sausage (We use Elevation brand)
1 oz minced garlic
1 oz diced shallot
2½ cups white wine (we use High Dessert Wine Lab “White Light” Riesling)
1 qt heavy cream
1 qt milk
+/- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
+/- ¼ cup honey
Salt and pepper (of choice – white, cayenne, guajillo or black)
To Serve:
Cold-pressed olive oil or infused oil such as chive or parsley oil
Multicolor potato chips
Creme fraiche/sour cream
Fennel fronds
Trout roe (optional)

Directions

In a large, oven-safe stock pot, sweat the fennel, onion and celery until translucent. Do not brown.

Add ‘Nduja to vegetable mixture and slowly render completely over medium/low heat, stirring constantly.

Deglaze with white wine.

Add potatoes and cover with parchment.

Roast in a 400° oven approximately 45-55 minutes, until potatoes are soft.

Add milk, cream, honey and vinegar. Stir and let cool slightly.

Working in small batches, blend equal amounts of solids to liquids (you could use a stick blender here, or a high-speed blender to smooth out the bisque as much as possible.)

Return the finished bisque to the stock pot, heat to barely a simmer, stirring often over low heat.

To finish, season with salt and pepper and adjust balance with apple cider vinegar and honey as needed.

(If bisque is too thick, adjust with either milk, water or both depending on desired richness. Make sure to readjust seasoning after diluting as needed).

Garnish with a dollop of both creme fraiche and parsley oil. Make a crescent shape around the crema and oil with lightly crushed multi-color potato chips. Gently add trout roe to the chips. Garnish the chips and row with fennel fronds.