Easy Steps to Perfect Pumpkin Soup

We began our soup making with a 4-lb. pumpkin used in the previous weeks as autumn decoration at Cafe Drake. Smaller squash will be easier to work with for the pumpkin soup novice.

Wash pumpkin of any dirt or debris then chop in half. Scrape out all seeds and stringy flesh. If you plan to roast the seeds later, scatter them on dish towels to dry thoroughly.

When pumpkin halves are cleaned, cut into quarters or large wedges and place on a baking sheet with a 1/4" of water. Roasting the squash will not only improve the flavor and consistency (i.e. creamy, soft flesh) but also saves you from the daunting task of peeling.

While the pumpkin is roasting in a 400 degree oven until fork tender (about 1 hour, maybe more) begin cooking 1 large onion and 2 peeled and chopped apples in a mixture of butter and olive oil. To this we added some dried red chilis and a few cloves of garlic.

When the pumpkin is cooked scrape all orange flesh into the soup pot with onions and apples. Add at least 4 cups of water, some salt and pepper and a tablespoon of good quality curry powder. Simmer for 20-30 minutes then process till very smooth in a blender. Return to pot and stir in a little heavy cream and salt, pepper or even sugar to taste.

Cafe Drake likes a thin soup as a first course, so as above, we used more water/stock than others may desire. Garnish with snipped chives or toasted pumpkin seeds.

Octavio samples the finished product.