Pumpkin Soup

Soup in pot- sorry we got so crazy forgot to take a picture
of the soup in the gourd-- but I prefer to wait until serving
time to sprinkle the colourful red peppers on top- so none in yet!

Serve the soup in the empty gourd! (then still

save it for more use!

I just scoop out what I need from the gourd- so I can then serve it in the gourd--- and then simply rinse out the gourd with water, pat dry, cut into a five star shape,rub with oil and put face down in the oven to soften the rest of the 'meat' and harvest that for homemade pumpkin pie! You most likely will have more meat than you need for one pie- so simply let the moisture drain off- more about that in another post- and freeze the 'meat' you do not need for your pies!



Yes, pumpkin soup! We all have to be as frugal as we can-while being stylish!
Pumpkin soup is a silky, easy to make elegant take on simplicity!
While I was young, I was very poor at times and seemed to eat soup every day-so for years I would not even look at soup- peasant food! I have since grown up and have learned to love 'peasant food'-- now called comfort food!

This can be a spicy dish if you add enough ginger or Curry--- or a tame version to simply tease your tastebuds before a more elaborate feast. I make mine rather mild- as the 'boys' in my house do not like too much spice- and also with turkey dinner so not to confuse the tastebuds before the main course-- and also so as not to outshine the homemade stuffing- with fresh herbs of course or the velvet smoothness of perfect gravy smothering the buttery whipped potatoes!

A good pumpkin soup recipe is a necessary thing when fall comes around. Hallowe'en reminds us that pumpkins are the very symbol of autumn, and Thanksgiving celebrates the fall harvest. What better way to take off the chill than with a rich pumpkin soup with warm spices?

Many pumpkin soup recipes call for typical "pumpkin pie" spices, like nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. These are great in pies, I will agree, but there is a more savory and spicy option that I think works better in a main dish or starter soup. You can adjust the spiciness in this recipe to suit your taste.

4 Tbsp butter or olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped2 tsp garlic, finely chopped or minced6 cups of roasted pumpkin
5 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy (35%) cream
Cayenne pepper to taste, or red pepper flakes
2 tsp curry powder or more to taste
ground ginger to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
1. To roast your pumpkin, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds (put them aside for later). Coat the inside flesh with a bit of olive oil and salt, and place in a roasting pan or on a cookie sheet open side down. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour.
2. Heat oil or butter in soup pot, add onions, garlic and salt. Cook on medium low until onions become soft.
3. Add roasted pumpkin and chicken stock
, bring to a slow boil, and reduce heat. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. Use an immersion blender (hand blender) to puree the soup.
5. Add remaining spices and cream. Bring back to heat, and allow to simmer for a few more minutes to let the flavors mingle.
6. Taste the soup, and add more curry or cayenne if you like. If the heat is too much you can add a bit more cream or brown sugar to take the edge off.