Monday, November 9, 2009

Time for Fall: Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin (or Squash) Soup

We've been enjoying this delicious soup for decades, so I thought it was time to share. You can use pumpkin or any orange squash such as acorn or maybe even butternut. This year, I used organic pumpkin from our CSA. The pumpkin was the brightest orange I have ever seen. We saved some of the seeds, so perhaps we will be growing some of our own next season!

Enjoy the soup, serve it to friends, smile, and be sure to let us know about your creative variations!


Indian-Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Servings: 8–10

For soup:
3 cups pumpkin or similar squash
2 cups Veggie stock (or water) [depending on desired

consistency]
1 cup orange juice
2 T olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed (or 1 tsp pre-minced garlic)
6 oz sliced mushrooms
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp fresh grated ginger (or ¾ tsp ground ginger)
¼ tsp dry mustard
½–1 tsp salt

For serving:
2-3 Tbsp toasted, sliced almonds
¼ c plain yoghurt
a few dashes of cayenne

Preparation
Cut squash in half or quarters as needed to bake. Bake face down in 375-degree oven on oiled tray or in an inch of water ‘til done (about 30–40 minutes). Cool and scoop out insides to gather 3 cups of squash or pumpkin. Blend squash with (some or all of) water or stock and puree until smooth and at desired thickness. Combine squash, stock and juice in soup pot.

In a skillet, heat oil. Sautee onions and garlic until onions are very soft. Add mushrooms, cover and cook 10 minutes more. Add sauté pan contents to soup pot. Heat together very gently, stirring as needed to prevent sticking on bottom of pot. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

To serve:
Pour soup into bowl or mug. Top with a couple shakes of cayenne, a dollop of yoghurt, and about 1/4 teaspoon of toasted almonds.

Serve with crusty bread, salad, and your favorite cheese or sliced avocado.

Yummy!