Pumpkin Soup

If you get to the grocery store right after hallow'een you may be lucky enough to find pumpkins being given away. Even if you buy them, they sure are cheap. This is a fast and popular lunch that is always a hit with my guests. I like pumpkin, but get tired of the cinnamon and nutmeg flavor and enjoy this for a change.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 2 tsp. garlic, finely chopped or minced
• 6 cups of roasted pumpkin chopped
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy (35%) cream
• Cayenne pepper to taste, or red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• salt and pepper to taste
• brown sugar (if desired)

Directions:

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 open side down. Bake at 350 degrees F for an hour.

Heat oil or butter in soup pot, add onions, garlic and salt. Cook on medium low until onions become soft.

Add roasted pumpkin and chicken stock, bring to a slow boil, and reduce heat. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender (hand blender) to puree the soup.

Add remaining spices and cream. Bring back to heat, and allow to simmer for a few more minutes to let the flavors mingle.

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.

Note: I freeze bags of mashed pumpkin in the fall and use them all year round for this. The preperation time I have entered is not including preparing the pumpkin

By Leigh