Recipes

Pumpkin Soup

Cuisine: French

Type: Soup

Serves: 4-6

Source:	Julia Child with modifications by Rick
Attributes:	Vegetarian
Comments:	This is a Fall favorite of ours. Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
Serving Suggestions:

Ingredients:

6-7 pound pumpkin, unblemished with a good stem

1 tbs. butter
Salt & pepper

1 cup finely minced onion
6 tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 to 2 cups of croutons made from toasted homemade bread
Pinch of pepper and nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground sage
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
2 cans of good chicken broth
1 bay leaf

Chopped parsley

Instructions:

1. Cut an opening into the pumpkin around the stem. It should be large enough for a ladle. Scoop out all seeds and strings cleaning the pumpkin out well. Rub the inside of the pumpkin and the lid (formed by the top with the stem as a handle) with butter and lightly salt and pepper. Place in an ovenproof casserole.

2. Cook the minced onion in the butter until tender and translucent. Stir in the croutons and cook slowly, then add seasonings. Spoon into the pumpkin.

3. Sprinkle the grated cheese into the pumpkin and add chicken broth and then water until it is 1/2 inch below the edge of the hole. Gently stir the ingredients together. Place a bay leaf on top of the soup. Cover with pumpkin lid and place in a preheated 400°F oven for about 1-1/2 hours or until the pumpkin is beginning to soften on the outside and the soup is beginning to bubble. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake another half hour until the pumpkin is tender but still holds its shape. (Cover with foil if it begins to brown.)

4. Remove from oven and with a large spoon, gently scrape pumpkin away from the inside edges and bottom stirring into the soup. Add a handful of chopped parsley, present at the table and ladle into individual serving dishes.

(Can add a half cup or so of heavy cream for a richer, thicker soup with a creamy flavor.)

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