Raisins and Almonds

More Pumpkin Passion: A spicy soup with chipotle cream

[posted by Joan]

I have made many pumpkin soups but this one was a little different.
I liked the added jalapeño and the flavor of cumin. I loved the swirl of chipotle cream added at the end. I’ll be taking this to lunch all week and may stir in some chopped greens (spinach, kale or chard) just to see how that works with the soup.

Pumpkin Soup with Chipotle Cream

Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy dutch oven or large saucepan.
Stir in 2 carrots chopped,
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped.
1 jalapeño, seeds removed, chopped


Cook gently, stirring from time to time, until vegetables soften.

Mix in 3 cups pumpkin puree (I roasted a pumpkin and mashed the flesh)

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup apple cider
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
freshly ground pepper

Simmer for about 20 minutes until vegetables are soft and ready to puree.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot.
Top with a dollop of chipotle cream (recipe below) and some fresh, chopped chives and parsley.

To make the chipotle cream, mix 1 cup sour cream with 1 tsp chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Mix in a smidgeon more of the sauce, and 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro.

Joan’s Passion for Pumpkin

It feels like a pumpkin day today. To me, fall means pumpkin time. I love the big, orange pumpkins that decorate people’s porches, front steps, and line the grocery store displays.

Even after Halloween has passed, the pumpkins seem to wink at me, inviting me to buy one, scoop out and cook its seeds for a salty snack, and bake the insides to puree for pies, breads, or muffins.

I have made pumpkin pies starting in high school, followed by pumpkin breads, pumpkin cookies, muffins, soup, scones, pancakes, cheesecake, and bread pudding.  I have enjoyed pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin crepes and pumpkin cream cheese on a pumpkin bagel. I have even had pumpkin spice tea and pumpkin lattes.  I made pumpkin infused vodka and used it to make pumpkin martinis. I have tried pumpkin beer and most recently, a Minnesota pumpkin honey wine. All year round I nibble handfuls of pumpkin seeds or pepitas. I cannot imagine a pumpkin product that I would not thoroughly enjoy.

Last week I bought a little sugar pumpkin at my local farmers’ market and roasted it whole in the oven until the skin darkened and the flesh collapsed inside. After it cooled, I pureed the luscious orange pumpkin flesh, and wondered what to do with it first.  I decided on a spicy pumpkin soup, a pumpkin smoothie, and a  pumpkin latte.

 

For the smoothie, I poured in a blender ½ cup of the pumpkin puree, ½ cup good fresh apple cider, 1 Tbsp cinnamon syrup, and ½ cup Greek yogurt.  I added in a little homemade applesauce I happened to have on hand. I threw in a few ice cubes and produced a delicious pumpkin smoothie.           

 

Here is the Pumpkin Pie Latte recipe

 

• 1 tbsp canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon syrup
• ½ cup milk
• 1/2 cup good coffee

In a saucepan, heat milk, cinnamon syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin until steaming.  (Or heat in a microwave.) Stir in vanilla. Pour into a wide mug and use an immersion blender to mix and froth. Pour in coffee and top with a dusting of ground cinnamon.

 

 
 Last year on Food52 I entered three original pumpkin recipes:

pumpkin baked oatmeal

http://www.food52.com/recipes/8155_pumpkin_baked_oatmeal_with_brandied_cranberries_and_white_chocolate

Crunchy ginger pumpkin parfait

http://www.food52.com/recipes/7714_crunchy_ginger_pumpkin_parfaits_with_cider_bourbon_sauce_and_maple_crme_fraiche

Pumpkin ginger s'more cookies

http://www.food52.com/recipes/7658_dark_chocolate_covered_pumpkin_ginger_smore_cookies 

 All are pretty fussy but very tasty.  Stay tuned--next post will be the spicy Pumpkin soup.