So, a few days later, I'm looking at my little 2 lb pumpkin, buried next to the boxes of cereal and behind the bananas... and i just couldn't do it anymore. Challenged or not, I was going to learn to cook this thing. I absolutely love instructional videos on the internet... I found one from LeGourmet TV (online), hosted by Chef Higgins, a culinary professional with a white cap and a Scottish accent, demonstrating step by step how to carve into the pumpkin while "showing respect to the product". Now all I needed was a recipe. Considering the damp weather that has been in Virginia Beach this past week, a full flavored pumpkin soup was just what I found to warm my body and soothe my soul.
(Just a side note, I'll post the full amount of ingredients. I changed it because I didn't have the complete measurements necessary to make the full batch.)
-The recipe called for 6 cups of chicken stock-- I, of course, used veggie stock. (3 cans = 6 cups).
-Next was 4 cups of pureed pumpkin. The easiest way to puree a pumpkin (which has already been carved and cut) is to place it in a microwave safe dish, cover in plastic wrap and vent, cook for 10 minutes, and then blend up in the food processor.
-1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, 1/2 cup onion, 1 clove garlic minced, 5 whole black peppercorns.
- It called for 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream. Instead of using cream made from cow's milk, I placed a can of Thai brand full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator. After a few hours in the cold, it separates the "milk" and the thick cream. The thick cream is the part you want. (But you can save the milk part for future recipes.)
-1 tsp parsley
To begin cooking, you have to heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. I suggest a medium to large saucepan (depending on the number of servings you are cooking. My medium sauce pan = 6 servings, and plenty of room to let it boil without going over the edge). Allow them to boil for a few minutes. Then, reduce heat, and let it all simmer for about 30 minutes. Don't cover it up!
The onion and peppercorns have to be pureed with the rest of the soup. So, pour it all into a large bowl. Then, in small batches, pour about a cup at a time from the bowl into your food processor, and pulse until it is mixed through. (Anything faster than pulse, and it will leak out of the side of the processor.) After each bit is done, return it to the sauce pan for futher boiling.
Once it's all back in the pot, let it boil again, then reduce the heat back to simmer. This is when you take the cocount cream out of the refrigerator. Slowly spoon out the required amount, and add it to the pot. Because the cream isn't as milky as non-vegan creams, you may have to whisk it in gently to help it along. After 30 minutes, ladel it into a bowl, then top it with a pinch of parsley and serve.
Now, the soup is just that-- soup. It isn't meant to be a stew, so it won't be incredible thick. You can alter this recipe by adding potatoes, or some chunked squash, maybe even some rice and vegetables for a thicker type of soup. I served mine just as it was with a side of pita bread that had been toasted and cut for dipping.
The flavor was fantastic! It was fresh and rich, and the thyme added just a bit of boldness to it. If this wasn't enough, I then made a mixed green salad, filled with kale and arugula for the base. I topped in about 1/4-1/2 cup of cabbage, about 1/2 an orange and yellow pepper, 1-2 portobello and 1-2 white button mushrooms chopped, 1 roma tomato, and about half a palm of daiya mozzarella cheese on top (daiya is completely vegan, and tastes amazing). I coated the salad in a roasted garlic and peppercorn dressing (vegan), and enjoyed my dinner with my family.
I could not have asked for a better challenge today. If you have never tried cooking with pumpkin, do it! October is the best month for pumpkins-- they are ripe, and they are cheap! Enjoy them while you can, and I guarantee you'll be praying for the chillier months of fall so that next year, you can indulge of the savory taste of the pumpkin!
Next year, the symphony of fall colors will be recognized by signs in the store windows saying Sorry, out of pumpkins, because I will be buying them all!
A final word on the topic of pumpkins-- it is no wonder that Cinderella chose a pumpkin for her escort carriage that night... because it is truly the queen of all autumn flavors.
Enjoy the recipe!
~Savor, and Smile~
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