Herban Feast’s Easy Fall Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Herban Feast’s Easy Fall Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Photo: Monique Cheung

Brussels sprouts, squash, cranberries… what’s your favorite fall ingredient? At Herban Feast, we love pumpkins because of their versatility. From artistic jack-o-lanterns to creamy pumpkin butter and sweet pumpkin pie, the bright orange color and semi-sweet flavor cheer up a gray autumn day. Best of all, there is nothing like a bowl of hot pumpkin soup to take the chill out of the crisp fall air. That is why we are sharing a favorite fall soup from our Chef Amanda that is sure to warm you up and leave you wanting seconds.

Herban Feast Chef Amanda’s Pumpkin Soup – yield is about a gallon
(This is a large recipe but the soup freezes well for dinners later in the season.)

Ingredients:
5 sugar pumpkins- stems removed and cut in half
2 large onions- julienned
1 lb. of butter- cubed
1 cup white wine
3 quarts vegetable stock
1 tablespoon garlic- minced
Small bunch of thyme
1 qt cream
Sherry vinegar to taste
Nutmeg and cinnamon to taste- start with ½ teaspoon of each
Salt and pepper to taste

1-      Cut the stem off of the sugar pumpkin and then cut the pumpkin in half. Place on a baking sheet face down, lined with foil. Place in a 350 degree over and roast off the pumpkins until you can stick a knife easily in the skin and flesh. This can take anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour. Once the pumpkins are cooked, clean out the seeds and then scoop out the pulp and reserve in a bowl on the side.
2-      While the pumpkins are roasting, julienne onions and sweat in a stock pot with butter. This should take about 6-8 minutes
3-      Next deglaze the pan with the white wine. Cook off the alcohol in the wine for a few minutes.
4-      Next you will add in the vegetable stock, garlic and thyme sprigs.
5-      Add in the pumpkin pulp and cook on low heat until the pumpkin becomes mushy.
6-      Take out your blender and fill it half way with the soup mixture. Add in some of the cream and puree on low to begin. I suggest putting a towel on top of the blender and holding it down just in case it pops off. Once you have it going on low increase the speed to the highest level you have on your blender. This will help to get the smoothest soup. Continue this until all of the soup is pureed. Transfer back into a soup pot.
7-      Next you will season with the nutmeg, cinnamon, sherry vinegar and salt and pepper. The amounts can change depending on your preference but I prefer just a hint of the two spices (cinnamon and nutmeg).
8-      Serve the soup hot and with a dollop of crème fraiche.

What’s your favorite fall recipe? Share your creations with us on Facebook!

To learn more about catering services visit www.herbanfeast.com.