Nov. 2

Harvest Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

2 small sugar pumpkins, halved, seeds and stringy fibers removed and reserved
6-8 tablespoons butter
3 cups homemade vegetable stock (3 cups water, 1 tomato halved, 1-2 chopped carrots, 1 chopped stalk celery, peel of one potato, 2 bay leaves, sprig of fresh thyme or 1 tbs thyme, lots of salt and a little pepper)
3 cups water
2 turnips, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 shallots or 1/2 white onion, minced (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons half-n-half
1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place pumpkin halves cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until soft, about 50 minutes.  Scoop out flesh of one pumpkin and puree in a food processor (you should have about 2 cups).  Scoop out flesh of second pumpkin, chop into large pieces, and set aside.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add reserved seeds and fibers from pumpkins and cook for 4 minutes.  Add stock and water and bring to a gentle simmer.  Cook for 9-10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add pumpkin puree, turnips, and potato, and cook for 5 minutes.   Add shallots, and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add wine, and cook until liquid has reduced by half.

4.  Strain pumpkin-seed mixture, reserving broth and feed solids to your ducks.  What?  No ducks?  Ok, in that case discard the solids.  Add broth to pumpkin-wine mixture.  Bring to a simmer; cook for 20 minutes.  Let cool.

5. Puree in a food processor in small batches until smooth.  Heat soup in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir in half-n-half, sugar, salt, pepper, and remaining chunks of pumpkin, and serve.

*Adapted slightly from this Martha Stewart recipe