Pumpkin Soup with Curried Pumpkin Seeds
April 18, 2003 posted by David Leite
by Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier with Max Alexander
from The Arrows Cookbook
(Scribner, 2003)
Serves 6
Whenever we walk into our pumpkin patch, we feel like we’ve stepped into Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The giant leaves, prickly vines, and massive pumpkins always seem a bit unreal — especially in fall, when the pumpkins ripen and turn the garden bright orange. That’s when we feel Maine nights getting colder, and we start to crave hearty soups like this one. In France, pumpkin is used almost exclusively in soup, so it seems natural to combine it with those other classic French soup ingredients — potatoes and leeks. You can also serve this soup chilled as pumpkin vichyssoise.
Most commercial pumpkins are grown for Halloween decorations and are too dry for cooking. Check fall greenmarkets for old-fashioned cooking varieties like Long Island cheese, a popular buff-colored American heirloom; Long Pie, an heirloom from northern Maine that looks like a giant zucchini; and Rouge Vif d’Etampes, the bright-orange French soup pumpkin. Seed catalogs carry these and many others. You can also substitute any large winter squash.
Curried pumpkin seeds add a crunchy texture and spicy flavor to the soup. They’re also great on their own as a snack for a cocktail party. (To make as a snack, save 2 cups or more of the seeds, increasing the other ingredients for the curried pumpkin seeds accordingly.)
convert Ingredients
For the soup
1 pumpkin or other large winter squash, about 6 pounds
4 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium leeks, light part only, cut into 1/4-inch rings, well washed and dried
2 large Yukon Gold or white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups chicken or vegetable Stock
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin or squash seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup crème fraîche, optional
Method
Make the soup
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and reserve 1/2 cup. Drizzle the meat sides of the pumpkin with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the pumpkin cut side down on a cookie sheet and roast until the meat is very soft, about 30 minutes. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and scoop the flesh out of the skins.
3. While the pumpkin is roasting, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, reduce the heat, and cover the pan. Cook the leeks, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes, chicken stock, and 2 teaspoons salt to the leeks. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are very soft when pierced with the tip of a knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Working in batches, purée the potatoes and leeks with their cooking liquid and the pumpkin in the jar of a blender until very smooth. Combine the batches in a large bowl and whisk in the cream and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate to cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, warm the soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Prepare the seeds
1. Clean the pumpkin seeds of any string and flesh and spread out on a plate to dry for about 1 hour. (Do not dry on paper towels, which will stick to the seeds.)
2. Warm the olive oil in heavy saute pan over medium heat. Add the orange zest and cook for 1 minute. Add the pumpkin seeds, curry powder, turmeric, paprika, salt, and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the seeds are crisp, about 8 minutes. Serve immediately or set aside to cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To serve
Ladle the hot soup into 6 warm bowls. Drizzle with crème fraîche if using, and sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds on top. Serve at once.
Recipe © 2003 Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
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