Pumpkin soup with whipped nutmeg cream

3

PREP TIME

20 min

Makes

5 cups (1.25 L)

* PLUS Cooking time: 25 minutes
Pumpkin soup with whipped nutmeg cream

© Royalty-Free/Masterfile

Ingredients

  • 1 small sweet pumpkin , or butternut squash
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cup chicken broth , or bouillon
  • pinch salt
  • pinch white pepper
  • 1/4 cup 35% cream
  • generous pinch nutmeg
  • croutons
  • pumpkin seeds , optional (see shopping tip below)

Instructions

  • Peel pumpkin (see Test Kitchen trick, below). Cut in half and discard seeds. Chop pumpkin into small cubes. They should measure about 4 cups (1 L). Chop onion and celery. Mince garlic. Melt butter in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery and garlic. Stir often until onion softens, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in pumpkin. Pour in wine. Add thyme and bay leaf. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up and stir in any brown bits from pan bottom. Pour in broth.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pumpkin is soft, 20 minutes. Remove thyme and bay leaf.
  • Whirl in batches in a blender or food processor until puréed, then strain back into saucepan. If soup is too thick, add more broth. Taste and add salt and pepper, if you wish. Soup will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.
  • Just before serving, place cream, nutmeg and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted (it will hold in the refrigerator for about a 1/2 hour). Reheat soup, then ladle into bowls. Top with a dollop of cream, croutons and pumpkin seeds.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories
  • 134,
  • Protein
  • 2.7 g,
  • Carbohydrates
  • 9.9 g,
  • Fat
  • 9 g,
  • Fibre
  • 2 g,
  • Sodium
  • 613 mg.

An elegant harvest starter, this brilliant orange pumpkin soup has a luxurious topping of fragrant cream and pumpkin seeds. If you can’t find pie pumpkin, substitute butternut squash.

Shopping Tip

Packages of pumpkin seeds are sold in the snack or bulk food section of most supermarkets or health food stores. Sliced smoked almonds or toasted walnuts are also delicious sprinkled over this soup.

Test Kitchen Trick

To make pumpkin and squash easier to peel, make a slit in skin with a sharp knife. Then microwave on high just until pumpkin or squash starts to soften, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool slightly, then slice off peel.

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