Autumn Means Pumpkin Soup

Today was our 7th wedding anniversary.  When I asked Amy what she wanted for dinner she asked for pumpkin soup.  While I was making it, I figured I might as well take some pictures and post something to my not-quite-yet-defunct food blog.  So here it is.

As one would suspect, pumpkin soup starts with...a pumpkin!

I cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the pulp and the seeds (to be roasted later) and trim off the stem.

 Rub it with canola oil and salt liberally, then into the oven it goes for about 60-70 minutes at 357 degrees Fahrenheit.  When it comes out it's a deep orange or brown color and very soft.

Once it is cool, scoop out the flesh and set it aside.

Next up are the aromatics.  Carrots, an onion and a few cloves of garlic.

Dice the carrots and the onion fairly small and mince the ginger.

Next, put a soup pot on the stove and heat it up.  Add a small amount of vegetable oil to keep things from sticking, then the onions and carrots go in over medium low heat.

The veggies cook slowly.  The goal is to soften them and drive out some of the moisture while avoiding browning.  This will take 10-12 minutes.

Once the carrots are soft, add the garlic.

Stir it in and cook until you smell the garlic, only 30-60 seconds.  Then add in the pumpkin, 3-4 cups of chicken stock and the following tied up in a cheese cloth:

• 2 tsp candied ginger
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 10 or so allspice berries

Increase the heat to medium and let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally until everything is very tender, about 30-45 minutes.

Once everything is completely softened, remove the cheesecloth bundle and puree the soup.  You can do this either with a food processor, or with an immersion blender until silky smooth.

Add 1 can (about 1 and 2/3 cups) coconut milk and stir it in, then season to taste.

Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with roasted pumpkin seeds.  I also floated a crostini in the center.

Ingredients

• 1 sugar pumpkin
• 3 carrots
• 1 medium onion
• 3 or 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp candied ginger
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 10 allspice berries
• 1 can coconut milk (1 and 2/3 cups)

Dinner? Sounds SOUP-er

This is one of our favorite fall and winter time soups. It's evolved over time from a thick, cream based soup to a stock based soup with just a touch of cream at the end to smooth it out.

We start, as many good dishes do, with bacon.

I render the bacon down until it is brown and crispy. I use a thick cut bacon, and in this case applewood smoked. Very tasty.

After the bacon has cooked, remove it with a slotted spoon, and we're left with lots of little brown bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. The French call this 'fond' and it is packed with flavors you can't get any other way.

You know how good it feels to dip into a nice hot jacuzzi on a cool night? I'm sure the chopped onion and minced garlic feel the same way about searing hot bacon grease.

 

After the onions are soft, the cubed up potatoes go in, along with 4 cups of chicken stock.

The potatoes simmer in the chicken stock. In the mean time, heat some olive oil in a sauté pan. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add a bag of frozen corn. Fresh would be best but it's not available often, so I typically use frozen.

Sauté the corn until it takes on a bit of color. As it cooks, the starches in the corn will be converted to sugar, and the corn will also get a slight nutty flavor.

Sprinkle the corn with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and just a touch of cayenne pepper.

When the potatoes are fork tender, add the corn into the pot and remove the pot from the heat. Add shredded cheddar cheese, half of the rendered bacon! A handful of chopped chives, and a cup of cream.

 

Ladle into serving bowls, garnish with more cheese, bacon and chives. Serve with a hearty multigrain bread for dipping.

 

Potato Corn Chowder

Ingredients

6 russet potatoes, cubed

4 oz bacon cubed or cut into pieces, divided

6oz cheddar cheese, shredded plus more for garnish

1 onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chopped chives plus more for garnish

1 bag (10 oz) frozen corn

2 tsp smoked paprika

Cayenne pepper to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper