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There is nothing better than a hearty pumpkin soup on a cold winter’s day or really any time as far as I am concerned. I was introduced to pumpkin soup in 1984 when I lived in Australia. They have great wonderful blue pumpkins and serve them many ways as part of their meals.
Quick and Easy Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Use your favorite pumpkin soup for the "pumpkin tureen" or use this simple recipe. Although this soup is rich and creamy there is actually no cream in it. The thick body of the soup comes from the pumpkin puree and evaporated skim milk.
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 2 green onions, sliced thinly, tops included
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 green chili pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3 cans chicken broth (14-1/2 oz cans) or 6 cups homemade chicken stock
• 2 cups pumpkin puree or 1 can (16 oz) solid pack pumpkin
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 cup undiluted, evaporated skim milk
• Salt and pepper to taste (Canned chicken broth and canned pumpkin may contain added salt. Taste the finished soup before adding salt, as additional salt may not be needed.)
• Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley
In a 6-quart saucepan, sauté onions, green onions, celery and chili pepper in oil. Cook until onions begin to look translucent.
Add broth, pumpkin, bay leaf, and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove bay leaf. Add evaporated milk and cook over low heat 5 minutes. Do not boil. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, if desired.
Transfer hot soup to pumpkin tureen. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve hot. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Pumpkin Cheese Risotto
Risotto is a classic Italian rice dish. Although it requires constant watching and stirring it is well worth the time and effort. Do not rinse the rice before cooking it. The starch that coats each grain is important for making creamy risotto. Serve as soon as possible after cooking to prevent gumminess.
• 7 to 8 cups chicken stock, canned or homemade
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups Arborio rice*
• 1 1/2 cups cooked pumpkin, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 fresh sage leaves, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 sage leaves for garnish
In a saucepan, heat stock to a simmer and holds at a very slow simmer.
In a large heavy bottomed saucepan next to stock, heat butter and add onion. Cook over medium heat until translucent. Add rice, stir, and add 1 1/2 cups hot stock.
Stir until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, add another 1 1/2 cups hot stock. Repeat a third time adding pumpkin and sage. Repeat with another 1 1/2 cups hot stock and add salt and pepper to taste.
Continue to stir until most of the stock has been absorbed by the rice. After about 25 to 30 minutes, taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Rice should be firm but tender (al dente).
Leave risotto a little runny before adding the cheese so it will have a creamy not stiff texture.
Ladle into soup plates and garnish with a sage leaf.
Makes four servings as a main course or six appetizer servings.
*Arborio rice, the short-grained variety best suited for risotto, is available at Italian and specialty food stores. If you cannot find it, California pearl rice is a good substitute.
Pumpkins Crème Brulee
Crèmes Brulee (krehm broo-LAY) is rich French cream and vanilla flavored custard. The literal translation is "burnt cream," which refers to the scalded cream or milk in the recipe. Traditionally the entire surface is sprinkled with granulated sugar just before serving. The custard is then placed under heat so that the sugar quickly caramelizes and becomes brittle. Although this step can be omitted, the brittle sugar creates a delicious flavor and texture contrast to the smooth, creamy custard beneath. This recipe is the American version of Crèmes Brulee, which uses pumpkin as the flavor base. It is very easy to make. Enjoy.
• 3 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, canned, frozen or freshly prepared
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 5 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter or margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan, heat milk to just below boiling, bubbles will form all over the surface (scalded milk is heated to 180 to 185ºF).
3. In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs with a wire whisk. Add pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, spice, and vanilla. Mix until well blended.
4. Gradually whisk in hot milk. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
5. Evenly divide pumpkin mixture among 12 six-ounce custard cups. Place cups in two 9x13 inch baking pans. Place pans on oven rack and add hot tap water to the pans until the water is halfway up sides of cups.
6. Bake 35-40 minutes. Check after 35 minutes. Custard centers should be slightly wobbly. Remove custard from oven and allow to cool in water bath. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
7. Just before serving, preheat oven broiler. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons sugar on each custard. Arrange on a baking sheet and place under hot broiler. Broil until sugar melts and bubbles. Watch closely to prevent burning. Sugar should be lightly brown and caramelized. Or hold a propane kitchen torch (also called a salamander) about 2-inches from custard tops to caramelize sugar. Serve at once. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.
Makes 12 servings
Fried Squash Blossoms
Ingredients
12 squash (pumpkin or zucchini) blossoms
1 egg, beaten
5 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
Clean the squash blossoms, removing the stems, if desired, and the small green spikes at the base. Press the hard bulbs to flatten, then separate and extend the petals until the flower shape is visible.
Dip the flowers in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry 6 flowers at a time until crisp and golden; change the oil if necessary between batches. Drain on paper towels.
Serve, garnished with chopped parsley, if desired.
Yield: 6 servings
Pumpkin Apple Soup
Serve this soup on a cold winter's night with a green salad and crusty bread. You can make the stock below or substitute five cups chicken stock or vegetable stock. You can buy canned chicken or vegetable broth or use what you have in the freezer already. You may want to enhance canned stock by simmering it with the apple peels and other ingredients. If you are saving seeds for roasting, don't use them in the stock. Listen, as long as you start with about five cups of flavorful stock or broth you can make this soup. Soup making is not an exact science, so relax and do whatever your time and energy level may permit. Be creative and enjoy the soup.
To make the stock (if using prepared stock, skip to Step 3)
• Seeds and strings from the pumpkin
• 3 crisp, flavorful apples quartered (Granny Smith, Winesaps, etc.)
• 3 cups fresh or frozen pumpkin puree - (see Pumpkin Purchase & Puree Preparation)
• 1 head garlic, unpeeled
• 1 large onion, quartered
• Zest of 1/2 orange
• 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups water
Putting the soup together
• 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate, thawed
• 1 apple, washed, cored and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon good quality curry powder
• 5 cups prepared pumpkin/apple stock, chicken or other stock
• 3 cups pumpkin puree (fresh, frozen or canned)
• 1 cup evaporated skim milk or half and half
• Paprika
Place all ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer covered for 45 minutes.
Let the stock cool for about 30 minutes, strain and discard solids. Measure 5 cups stock, if it is less add water, if it is more use it.
Sauté onions in olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add the diced apple and sauté for 2 minutes longer. Sprinkle with curry powder and sauté one minute longer. Remove from heat and set aside.
Put half the onion/apple sauté in a large pot. Add the pumpkin/apple stock and pumpkin puree. Bring this mixture to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Meanwhile.......
Put the other half of the apple/onion sauté and the apple juice concentrate in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Add to the soup pot. Add evaporated milk and continue cooking until the soup is very hot. Do not boil again.
Serve the soup garnished with a spoonful of the apple/onion sauté and a dash of paprika.
Yield 6 servings
Pumpkin Soup Tureen
The hollow shell makes a picturesque and elegant soup tureen. A large pumpkin shell can hold enough soup for a family gathering or dinner parties while small pumpkin shells are just right for individual servings.
Preparing the pumpkin shell:
Select a squat pumpkin rather than one that is upright for balance. Field pumpkins used for jack-o-lanterns do not work well. The Cinderella variety or Rouge Vif d'Etampes, as well as many others has the ideal bowl shape.
Start by washing the pumpkin in warm soapy water rinse well and dry.
Using a sharp knife, insert the tip about 1/3 of the way down, and cut away the top to form a lid. Scoop out the seeds (reserve for roasting) and stringy mass.
Lightly oil the pumpkin inside and out and sprinkle the inside with salt.
Place the pumpkin and lid on a parchment lined baking sheet or spray with an oil cooking spray. Bake a 325°F for 1 to 1-1/2 hours depending on the size of the shell.
This is the tricky part. An over baked shell will not support the weight of the soup so under-baking is preferred. Bake the pumpkin shell until it begins to soften.
Remove from the oven and cool.
Gently scoop out some of the soft pumpkin from the wall, being careful not to puncture the shell. Scrape the cooked pumpkin from the lid as well. Use this cooked portion for the pumpkin soup recipe that follows or freeze it for later use.
Ladle hot soup into the pumpkin and serve. The lid can be used as a cover or you can serve the soup uncovered.
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Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 Resources: Excerpted from “Food For Thought Series” by Arlene Wright-Correll
For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/ and click on Arlene’s Books you can download or buy my gardening & cook books. All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and we thank you for your attention to this site.
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