
Image from Chow.com – I’ll have to make more soup to get a decent picture.
This savory soup is made from roasted pumpkin and is garnished with crumbles of crisp bacon.
Ingredients:
- 1 pint of roasted pumpkin (may use 1 can of pure pumpkin puree)
- 3 shallots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- sherry or dry white wine to de-glaze
- 4-6 strips bacon, rendered until crispy and crumbled
- leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh thyme (1/2 teaspoon dry ground may be used)
- 1/2 teaspoon dry rubbed sage
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup of half and half or whole milk
- salt and pepper to taste
In a large heavy saute or sauce pan, render the bacon until crispy and set aside.
Saute the shallots, celery and carrots in the bacon fat until the shallots are soft.
Add about 1/4 cup of the wine to de-glaze the pan.
Stir in the pumpkin, sage and thyme.
Add the chicken stock.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Puree the soup. I used a Waring blender with the little center lid removed and a dishtowel over the opening. You can also use a stick blender.
Return the mixture to a heavy sauce pan, add the half and half, then salt and pepper to taste. You may add more stock or water until the soup is the desired consistency. Heat until warmed. Serve with a garnish of crumbled bacon and croutons (optional).
Makes 6 8-oz servings.
3