INGREDIENTS:
1 pumpkin, about 10 inches in diameter
1 onion, sliced fine
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon, butter
METHOD:
Cut pumpkin into quarters. Oil each piece and roast in a preheated 400°F oven until it softens and you can smell sugars. Cool the pumpkin and remove the skin.
Sauté onion and garlic in butter until transparent. Add pumpkin and cook for 5 minutes more. Add stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until ingredients are soft. Add salt and pepper.
Transfer mixture to blender and process until pureed. Strain the mixture using a fine mesh strainer. Adjust seasoning and serve as is, or choose one of the variations below.
VARIATIONS:
- Use a dry sherry to lift the flavors.
- Use curry powder when sauteing the onion and garlic.
- Use other squashes such as delicata and/or kabocha, etc.
- Serve with a crouton with melted Brie floating in the soup.
- Garnish with a drizzle of toasted pumpkin seed oil and crushed pumpkin seeds.
- Garnish with a fried onion frizz or garlic chips.
- Season with cumin and coriander seed and add cilantro. Top with chipotle crema.
- Use freshly minced ginger with the onions to perk up the flavor.
