Going to the grocery store in the fall, around Halloween time, there is an abundance of pumpkins everywhere you go. I wanted to take advantage of the season and make a soup that highlights their flavor without being "pumpkin spice" flavored. The recipe I came up with has a nice bite from a heavy amount of fresh ginger and crushed red pepper, a touch of sweetness from maple syrup, and a velvety texture from a cream cheese finish.
I find it easier to roast the pumpkin in smaller pieces to soften it rather than peeling the pumpkin and adding it directly to the soup. I also removed and cleaned the pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, then seasoned and roasted them to garnish the soup.
Enjoy.
Ingredients
Pumpkin, medium 1 ea
Coconut Oil 2 T
Chili Flakes 2 tsp
Ginger, peeled 10 oz
Vegetable Stock 3 qts
Cream Cheese 12 oz
Onion, large 1 ea
Maple Syrup 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Garnish
Pepitas, Pumpkin Seed Oil
Method of Procedure
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cut into your pumpkin and remove the seeds and guts. Reserve them to make into pepitas.
Cut your pumpkin into smaller manageable pieces and season them with coconut oil and salt and pepper. Roast them in the oven until the flesh is tender, around 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your pieces.
Once the pumpkin is roasted, dice your onion and slice your ginger*.
Heat your soup pot and add 1 T coconut oil. Saute your onions, ginger, and crushed red pepper until softened.
Peel the pumpkin away from the outer shell and add to your onions and ginger.
Add your maple syrup and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
Simmer for around 40 minutes and add your cream cheese. Continue to simmer while stirring to make sure the cream cheese is melted into the soup.
Once the cream cheese is properly incorporated run your soup through a food processor or blender then strain it through a mesh strainer.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
*By far the easiest way to peel ginger is to use a spoon. It removes the skin while keeping the root intact and you don't have to worry about cutting yourself. Additionally it is easy to work around the knobs and indents that you find in ginger root.
Comments