Delicious Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Turn that Halloween Lantern into a Tasty Meal

Oct 8, 2008 Janice Hally

Halloween is approaching and pumpkins are plentiful. But don't just use them as decorations. This traditional pumpkin soup recipe will please kids and adults.

In the French countryside, what turns up on the dinner table is still governed by the foods which are in season at that moment. With Halloween approaching, the pumpkins are beginning to appear at the local farmers' markets in the village squares; and with the nights beginning to get colder, few things are as comforting as a hot bowl of creamy pumpkin soup.

The ingredients and the preparation couldn't be simpler. In fact, since the longest part of the preparation, is peeling and cutting up the pumpkin, you may want to double the quantities in the recipe and make a nice big pot of soup. It will keep in your refrigerator for up to a week, and only needs to be brought to the boil before serving. Fast food, indeed!

These quantities should serve 6, but could easily be consumed by 4 coming back for seconds!

Ingredients:

• 3 - 4 lbs of pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 pints of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup of cream
• 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the butter or olive oil in a large pot and fry the onion until soft.
2. Add the broth and pumpkin to the pan and bring to the boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Check that the pumpkin is well cooked and blend until smooth (a hand-held, stick blender is easiest as the liquidizing can be done in the pot).
5. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.
6. Stir in the cream and serve. Alternatively the cream can be added to individual plates when served

This can be enjoyed by the family served with warm crusty bread, or more elegantly at a dinner party with a garnish of chopped parsley. In France it is often brought to the table and served in a hollowed-out pumpkin - just the thing for Halloween!

A Spicy Alternative Version

The above is the traditional French farmhouse version, but for more international palates, this superb soup can be spiced up by the addition of:

• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp paprika or chilli powder (depending on how hot you can take it)
• 1 tbsp sugar

Method

1. Follow the steps above, and:
2. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, and paprika or chilli powder to the butter or olive oil and fry them gently at the same time as you saute the onions.
3. Add the sugar at the same time as you add the stock.
4. The rest of the method remains the same.

The copyright of the article Delicious Pumpkin Soup Recipe in French Cuisine is owned by Janice Hally. Permission to republish Delicious Pumpkin Soup Recipe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Halloween Pumpkins

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