Pumpkin Soup with Smoked Paprika

[Guest guest]

Most often I use canned pumpkin, it works fine.

Especially in the hot weather.

Rain

 

Pumpkin Soup with Smoked Paprika

 

1 4 to 5 pound cooking pumpkin* to yield 6 cups

roasted pumpkin or 3 15 ounce cans of pumpkin puree

4 tbsps. butter

2 medium yellow onions, chopped, about 2 cups

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 large tart green apple, Granny Smith, peeled, cored,

chopped, about 2 cups

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup water

1 cup milk

1/2 cup cream

1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 sprig fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon ground sage

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Most pumpkins in the store are meant for

jack-o-lanterns, not eating. Use a sugar pumpkin or a

Japanese Kabocha pumpkin if you are going to cook with

it.

Kabocha pumpkins. If you use a Kabocha, note they are

pretty hard, use a strong, sturdy knife and be careful

when you cut the pumpkin.

To make pumpkin purée, cut a sugar or Kabocha pumpkin

in half, scoop out the seeds* and stringy stuff (an

ice cream scoop works well for this purpose), lie face

down on a foil or Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake at

350 degrees until soft, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don't

use for future use.

Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high

heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often,

until softened, about 4 minutes. Add smoked paprika,

cayenne, and cumin and stir for a minute more.

Add chopped apple and pumpkin purée. Add broth, water.

Mix well with a wooden spoon. Season with a little

salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat,

partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until

the apples are cooked through.

Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender or a

food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth.

If you want extra smooth soup, pass the purée through

a food mill, after it's been through the blender.

Return the soup to the saucepan.

With soup on low heat, slowly add the milk and cream,

stirring to incorporate. Add salt to taste. Adjust

other seasonings to taste.

Can make a day ahead. Yields 8 servings.