It's been some time since I've posted a new recipe, which illustrates one meaning of "occasional" intended by my blog title. (Isn't it nice when laziness or inactivity can be justified so wonderfully?) Today, however, I'm making this dish for a second time and feel confident that I've made it my own and can share it with you. First off, I'll have to admit that I'd never tried to make pumpkin soup before this year, However, my friend Justine game me some pumpkins to decorate with at a party in September, and when my mother-in-law was visiting last month I decided to take the plunge and turn them into something edible. I checked out a bunch of recipes on the internet, chose ingredients and noted preparation tips that seemed to fit the direction I wanted to go in, and whipped up a batch of pumpkin and squash soup. Gioia, Eddie, and I all enjoyed the results--not bad for a first attempt! Yesterday I got a winter squash in my farm share, so I decided to refine my recipe. Here's what I've come up with:
What You'll Need
- One large pumpkin/squash or 2-3 smaller
- 5 cups stock (I use chicken, but veggie would obviously work)
- 1 apple
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 6 oz. fat-free plain or vanilla Greek yogurt (or heavy cream if preferred)
- ground cumin (optional, but I love cumin in everything)
- sage or thyme
- salt and pepper
- cayenne or red pepper
- cinnamon/allspice/honey (something sweet)
Preparation
- Quarter the pumpkin/squash, remove the seeds, place on a baking sheet or dish and bake in over at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool.
- Peel and chop the carrot, apple, and onion and saute in olive oil in the in the bottom of your soup pan.
- Peel off pumpkin skin or scoop out flesh, chop or break into pieces, and add to soup pot
- Add stock
- Add spices to taste. I think this simply comes down to a matter of personal preference, so throw in what seems right to you. We like a balance of spicy and sweet, so I play with the balance of pepper and cinnamon/allspice. If you're going to add heavy cream or vanilla yogurt you won't have to worry too much about the sweet end of things here. If you opt for plain yogurt, a bit of honey will help.
- Heat to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Using a hand blender, blend soup to the consistency you prefer. (Or puree in batches in a food processor or regular blender.) I made it really smooth the first time around, but left it a bit chunkier the second time, and we liked both.
- Add the yogurt or cream, heat to temperature desired for serving and serve.
1/9/12 Update: Because I had an abundance of squash and wasn't in a hurry, I decided to try this in a slow cooker. I basically doubled everything except the stock, since only four cups fit comfortably in the pot. There's no need for oil: I just threw the onions, apples, and carrots right in. I cooked it on high for five hours or so, and the results seem pretty much the same. Now, though, I have 6-8 servings of soup to look forward to!
Serving
There's not much to it, really. You could wait to put a dollop of yogurt or cream in the bowl just before serving to make it look pretty--and/or add a sprig of parsley or other herb for appearance. It is wonderful as it is or served with a hearty bread.
And, if you're waistline conscious, note that I divide this into 4 hearty servings of 4 points each in Weight Watchers. That's with the non-fat plan yogurt, of course, so cream will cost you more at the scale.
