The Rhine River

Pumpkin Soup

I have been in a big cooking mood. Since Thanksgiving is approaching (US nationals only, please) I want to throw out one of my favorite pumpkin soup recipes, an amalgam of difference recipes involving pumpkin that I have tried over the years. It is an easy and quick recipe, depending on how long it takes you to peel a pumpkin (I recommend cutting one inch slices first, than removing the skin from the individual slices). It has a slightly Indian flavor without going overboard.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seed
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons whole black mustard seed
• small onion, chopped
• small to medium sugar pumpkin (enough to yield 1 and 1/2 pounds flesh after peeled and seeded), cubed
• medium potato, thinly sliced
• four cups vegetable broth (meat eaters can use chicken broth at their own risk)
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• heavy cream

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot. Stir in the cumin and mustard, stirring a few times. Wait until it pops a few times, then stir in the pumpkin and onion in two to three batches. Make sure that the oil and seeds coat the pumpkin well. Let it heat up for about five minutes. Stir in the potato, than cover with the broth. Increase the heat to high. When it starts to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer until the vegetables are soft. It shouldn't take too long. Remove from the heat and puree. Add salt and pepper. Pour small swirl of cream into the individual servings.

posted by Nathanael @ 6:03 PM