Once, a long time ago, on the Carribean Island of St. John, on the far side of the island in a little shack of a restaurant surrounded by goats and lapping waves, we had pumpkin soup that tasted like heaven. I've had many kinds of pumpkin soup since then, all competing for "as good as" because it couldn't have been better, but to no avail. Most pumpkin soups are too sweet and taste like pie. This one tasted slightly spicy and creamy, a hint of curry perhaps. The truth is pumpkin isn't by nature sweet. Even the most gorgeous 35-pound fairytale pumpkin I processed the day before Thanksgiving was not sweet. But it did yield enough to make soup AND pie. And so I did.
Here is my pumpkin soup recipe. It's the closest I've ever come to that soup long ago (minus the lapping waves, the wild goats, and that feeling of sunburn on your skin and saltwater in your hair...).
Savory Pumpkin Soup
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 white chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
- 4 cups pumpkin (either cubed and raw or already cooked and pureed)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Melt the butter and sauté the garlic, onion, spices, and herbs.
- Add the pumpkin and chicken stock and cook until the pumpkin is cooked.
- Puree the soup and return to the pan. Add the cream and lime juice.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Note: If not serving to children or picky eaters, of course you can add lots of hotness with the hot pepper of your choice.
For more from Maria Rodale, visit www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com