Fresh Pumpkin Soup

Two notes before I post this recipe:

1. I took a photo of the finished soup, but it was at that very moment that the SD card in my phone decided that it hated me and turned itself into a worthless sliver of plastic. Luckily I had this adorable photo to fall back on. Right? This is better than a bowl of orange soup.

2. I’m really bad with measurements and am always adding a dash of this or that, but I got the basics down for this recipe. If you feel adjustments are necessary, or want to try it with different spices, feel free.

Oh, wait, three notes:

3. I used a pie pumpkin, but there are many people who say that field pumpkins are just fine for cooking. You may need to drain off extra moisture.

Fresh Pumpkin Soup

• 1 medium pumpkin (yielding about 3 cups of cooked pumpkin)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped (try shallots for a different taste, about 1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350. Slice the pumpkin in half, discard the stem, and place cut-side down in a baking dish or a sheet pan lined with foil. Cover with foil and bake for up to 1 1/2 hours (mine finished in about an hour and 15 minutes). Scoop out cooked pumpkin and let cool, then mash with a potato masher. (If you have chickens, give them the cooked rinds with the little bits of pumpkin you didn’t scrape out.)

In a heavy bottom pan, melt butter, then add onions, cooking over low heat until the onions are translucent and starting to caramelize just a bit. Add the mashed pumpkin and salt, sugar, nutmeg and pepper, stir, and let simmer for a few minutes. Add broth and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the flavors have come together and the soup is hot.

At this point, you can serve it as-is, or you can use a stick blender to puree the soup. You can also puree the soup in small batches in a regular blender or food processor. Makes about six cups.

Optional additions include stirring in a bit of half & half or cream, topping with crisped sage leaves (cook sage leaves in a little butter until crispy), or topping with toasted pumpkin seeds. I put a dollop of crema on mine and sprinkled on some dried parsley.

Pumpkin soup lends itself so well to different flavors. Try variations with curry, peanut butter, or coconut milk & chili… or a combination of these!

Enjoy the flavors of fall!