PUMPKIN SOUP WITH COCONUT AND GINGER

Yield: 4 servings

• 600 mg Chopped pumpkin flesh
• 1 lg Onion chopped
• 2 tb Vegetable oil
• 2 tb Chopped ginger
• 400 ml Coconut cream
• 300 ml Water
• 2 Chicken stock cubes
• 1 ts Chopped chillies
• 1 tb Lemon juice
• 2 tb Chopped coriander
• 1 tb Tomato paste
• Pinch of sugar
• Freshly ground pepper

Saute pumpkin and onion lightly in vegetable oil. Add water, ginger, chicken stock cubes, bring to boil and cook gently for 15 mins.

Puree soup in blender, then return to heat, add coconut cream, lemon juice, paste and sugar. Bring to boil, cook another five mins. Season with pepper and, if you like, a bit more salt. Garnish with coriander. Serve hot or cold.

SMOKY PUMPKIN SOUP

Yield: 6 servings

• 6 x Slices bacon
• 4 tb Unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 6 c Peeled, cut up pumpkin
• 6 c Beef stock
• 1/2 c Marsala
• 1 t Dried thyme
• Salt/pepper to taste
• Toasted pumkin seeds/garnis

Dice bacon and cook crisp. Reserve the fat.

Cut pumpkin in 1-inch pieces.

Heat the bacon fat and butter in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin and saute for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the stock and simmer covered until the pumpkin is very tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the Marsala, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Process the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Return to the stock pot.

Add the bacon. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve immediately, garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Curried Pumpkin-Apple Soup

Yield: 1 servings

• 3 tb Olive oil
• 1 Clove garlic, mashed
• 1 1/2 c Chopped onion
• 1 Large apple, peeled/chopped
• 1 tb Curry powder
• 2 c Pumpkin puree
• 4 c Chicken broth
• 1 c Milk (I use 2% milk)
• Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in 6 qt. saucepan. Saute garlic, onion and apple. Stir in curry powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add pumpkin and broth, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes. Puree all in blender or food processor. Return to saucepan and stir in milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6-8.

CREAM OF PUMPKIN SOUP WITH CINNAMON CROUTONS

Yield: 6 servings

• 1 c Onion; chopped
• 2 tb Butter; melted
• 2 cn Chicken broth; diluted
• 16 oz Can mashed pumpkin; cooked
• 1 t Salt
• 1/4 t Ground cinnamon
• 1/8 t Ground ginger
• 1/8 t Pepper
• 1 c Whipping cream

-----------------------------CINNAMON CROUTONS-----------------------------

• 3 tb Butter; softened
• 1 tb Brown sugar
• 1/4 t Ground cinnamon
• 4 Slices whole wheat bread

Saute onion in butter in a med. saucepan until tender. Add 1 can chicken broth; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 min.

Pour broth mixture into container of blender and process til smooth. Return mixture to saucepan. Add remaining can of broth, pumpkin, and next 4 ingredients; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in cream, and cook until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle into individual soup bowls. Top each serving with Cinnamon Croutons.

FOR CINNAMON CROUTONS: Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon; stir well. Spread butter mixture evenly over one side of bread slices. Place bread, buttered side up, on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 8-10 min. or until bread is crisp and topping is bubbly. Cut each slice of bread into 8 small triangles or squares.