Pumpkin Soup

This is our new favorite recipe, both for flavor and for complying with our desire to “waste not, want not,” within reason anyway.  If you have ever felt guilty throwing away your jack-o-lantern or were left wondering if you could have done something else with it, this recipe is for you.  But, don’t wait, we cut up the pumpkin right after the trick-o-treaters stop coming and roast it that night, and a few glasses of scotch might help you burn the midnight Halloween oil.  But if you don’t have time for such ghoulish pleasures on the very same night, cut it up and throw in a bag in the fridge until the next day.   You cannot make anything delicious with rotting pumpkin carved several days before and left out to rot.

Prep Time: 20 min

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Inactive Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 25 min

 

Serves 8 as a main course, more if just a starter

• 1 big 2′ pumpkin, halved and seeds removed, cut into 1″ slices
• 1 t. French sea salt
• 1/4 pt. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 T. olive oil
• 2 t. ground cinnamon
• 1 t. ground allspice
• 3/4 c. roughly chopped onion
• 1/2 c. roughly chopped carrot
• 1/4 c. roughly chopped celery
• 2 T. minced ginger
• 1 T. minced garlic
• 3 1/2 c. chicken stock
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 3 T. pumpkin seed oil or truffle oil
• 1 c. finely diced green chiles from Hatch, NM
• 1 handful pistachio hearts

Place the pumpkin cut side up on a parchment lined baking sheet. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Invert to the cut side down, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place in the oven and roast until the skin is golden brown and the pumpkin is tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the pumpkin flesh from its skin and set pumpkin aside until ready to use. Discard the skin.

Set a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and, when hot, add the cinnamon and allspice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the onions, carrots, celery, ginger and garlic to the pan and saute, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and reserved pumpkin to the pan and bring the stock to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook the soup for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

Remove the soup from the heat and process with an immersion blender (*or in batches in a blender) until smooth. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pinch of pepper. Add the cream to the soup and stir to combine.

To serve, place 1 cup of the soup in each of 6 warmed soup bowls. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of the truffle oil in the bowl and garnish with the pistachios and green chiles.  I often also add a dusting of herbs de Provence, for color.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.