The orange signature of autumn…sugar pumpkins (aka pie pumpkins) are abundant this time of the year but don’t get them confused with the large jack-o’-lantern pumpkins (carving pumpkins). Sugar pumpkins are smaller in shape than the ones you find at a pumpkin patch and they’ll be the ones your grocery store will carry in the produce section. The flesh from a jack-o’-lantern tends to be stringy and contains more water than sugar pumpkins. That said, all is not lost if you do buy one, you’ll need to cook it a bit longer to remove the moisture content. Use sugar pumpkins in pies, breads, cupcakes, soups, roasted with chickpeas, in a risotto, pasta, ravioli, curries, gnocchi. Not only is this pumpkin soup is easy to make, the health benefits are impressive too (boost immune system, free radical neutralizer, keeps eyesight sharp to name a few).
Serves 4
1 small pumpkin (about 3 lbs.), peeled, seeds removed and cut into chunks
2 whole cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 to 3 slices of bacon
1/2 cup oyster mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup peeled and chopped apple (optional but highly recommended)
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
6 to 8 fresh sage leaves
feta cheese
extra-virgin olive oil
The Culinary Chase’s Note: If soup is too thick, thin with more stock or water. Enjoy!
- 1 small pumpkin (about 3 lbs.), peeled, seeds removed and cut into chunks
- 2 whole cloves of garlic
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 to 3 slices of bacon
- oyster mushrooms, chopped
- ½ cup peeled and chopped apple (optional but highly recommended)
- 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 6 to 8 fresh sage leaves
- feta cheese
- extra-virgin olive oil
- Preheat oven to 350f (180c). Pull out a roasting tray and add pumpkin, garlic cloves a splash of olive oil and cumin. Toss to combine and roast in the oven 40 minutes or until soft and lightly browned.
- Meanwhile, in a frying pan cook bacon. Remove from pan and place on paper towel. If there’s any bacon fat, remove all but 1 tablespoon. Add sages leaves and cook over medium heat until slightly crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel. Add mushroom to the pan and sauté until soft and lightly browned.
- When pumpkin is done, remove from oven and place in a saucepan. Remove skins from garlic and add to pan along with chicken broth and chopped apple. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and use a hand blender to purée soup. When ready to serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with bacon, mushrooms and crumbled feta cheese. Crumble sage leaves over the bowl and lightly drizzle with olive oil.
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