Since we just passed Hallowe'en, I had best begin the fall season of Saturday Soups with a pumpkin recipe. Herewith Pumpkin soup with cranberry puree. Laura had several interesting blogs about cranberries a couple of weeks ago--maybe you will find some of the cranberries she pictured for your puree.
PUMPKIN SOUP with Cranberry Puree
Serves 12
Serves 12
PUMPKIN SOUP:
1-1/2 cups chopped onion (1 large)
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
2 tsp. ground ginger (dried)
1 tsp. ground cardamom (or nutmeg)
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground pepper
4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds total)
7 cups pumpkin puree (fresh crookneck is best)
10 cups chicken stock (vary according to texture of soup)
CRANBERRY PUREE:
12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. brandy (optional)
1) For the soup, bake sweet potatoes at 400 degrees until they are very soft. When cooled, peel and chop roughly. (NOTE: You can do this a few hours ahead of time, if you wish.)
2) Sauté onions in butter until just soft. Add ginger, cardamom, allspice and ground pepper. Stir.
3) Add sweet potatoes, pumpkin puree and chicken stock. Simmer for 1/2 hour to combine flavors. Let soup mixture cool slightly. Puree the soup in batches until it is all smooth. The texture is important, so be sure to cook all ingredients until very soft, then puree in food processor to velvety smoothness.
4) For the Cranberry Puree, place all ingredients together in a medium covered saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until cranberries pop and start to thicken. Cook 5 minutes more. Cool slightly before pureeing cranberry mixture in food processor or blender. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer; reserve cranberry puree in an airtight container. This may be made several days in advance.
1-1/2 cups chopped onion (1 large)
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
2 tsp. ground ginger (dried)
1 tsp. ground cardamom (or nutmeg)
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground pepper
4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds total)
7 cups pumpkin puree (fresh crookneck is best)
10 cups chicken stock (vary according to texture of soup)
CRANBERRY PUREE:
12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. brandy (optional)
1) For the soup, bake sweet potatoes at 400 degrees until they are very soft. When cooled, peel and chop roughly. (NOTE: You can do this a few hours ahead of time, if you wish.)
2) Sauté onions in butter until just soft. Add ginger, cardamom, allspice and ground pepper. Stir.
3) Add sweet potatoes, pumpkin puree and chicken stock. Simmer for 1/2 hour to combine flavors. Let soup mixture cool slightly. Puree the soup in batches until it is all smooth. The texture is important, so be sure to cook all ingredients until very soft, then puree in food processor to velvety smoothness.
4) For the Cranberry Puree, place all ingredients together in a medium covered saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until cranberries pop and start to thicken. Cook 5 minutes more. Cool slightly before pureeing cranberry mixture in food processor or blender. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer; reserve cranberry puree in an airtight container. This may be made several days in advance.
ENJOY!
9 comments:
That sounds like the type of soup that I loved on a cold New England night...I've copied it down and will see how it fares in North Carolina !! I'm sure it will be just as yummy. Thanks.
Yum! That sounds so good. Pumpkin soup was the traditional New Year's dish in Haiti. I loved it there.
I'm anxious to try this recipe. Is there a crookneck pumpkin, or is what we call a crookneck squash the same?
I've never seen cranberry puree offered alongside the soup - what a nice combo.
Cranberry and pumpkin. Yum! Is a crookneck squash a butternut squash?
Here in central PA--we always say--don't use decorative pumpkins for pies, use crookneck. My mother in law always cooked her own.
But, I will be honest--for this recipe I would just use canned pumpkin--so much easier.
I neglected to say the cranberry puree is to be swirled on top of the hot soup--it makes a lovely festive soup.
Say, how about this soup for Thanksgiving appetizer?
Hmmm.. the idea of pumpkin soup doesn't thrill me... yet I love winter squash.
?
I'm glad to see the return of your soup recipes, Donna. It's just about getting to be soup weather here.
Oh this sounds good!
This sounds really tasty, but I am the only one in the family who would eat it..Lots of soup for one...@:{
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