Pumpkin Soup in a Pumpkin
As a pumpkin pie-loving culture, Americans have grown up believing the flesh to be the most important part of the pumpkin. Originally, however—some 6,000 years ago in Mexico—pumpkins were cultivated for their seeds. This recipe proves that the flesh isn't just for pies but makes a delicious soup as well. We found it best to use a heavy pumpkin, with thick flesh that keeps it intact during baking.
Credit: Christopher Boas
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
1 7-lb. Cinderella pumpkin, with a 2" stem7 tbsp. butter
Salt
1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 1⁄2 cups fresh white bread crumbs, toasted
1⁄2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp. ground sage
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup grated Swiss cheese
4 cups Chicken Stock or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1⁄2 cup heavy cream, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut a lid about 4" in diameter out of top of pumpkin and set lid aside. Remove and discard seeds and strings. Rub inside of pumpkin and lid with 1 tbsp. softened butter, season with salt, and place on a baking pan.2. Melt remaining 6 tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in bread crumbs and cook for 2 minutes, then add nutmeg and sage and season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, stir in cheese, then spoon mixture into pumpkin. Pour enough stock into pumpkin to come within 1⁄2" of the rim. Lay bay leaves on top, then fit lid onto pumpkin.
3. Bake until pumpkin begins to soften and brown on the outside and the stock bubbles on the inside, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Carefully remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter. With a long-handled spoon, scrape flesh from bottom and sides of pumpkin and, just before serving, stir in heavy cream if using.
i made this soup for my wife for her birthday. her comment was that this was perhaps the best soup i had ever made. and i make a lot of good soup!
i did stray a bit from the recipe. for instance, i did not weigh my pumpkin, and ended up needing to double the recipe. big pumpkin. and i subtituted thyme for the nutmeg.
Let the flavor of the pumpkin shine through! Seems like whoever wrote this recipe doesn't respect the pumpkin.