The Great Roasted Pumpkin Soup

A simple rule to remember:  roasting vegetables makes magic happen.  Last night, a fantastic vegan brussel sprouts recipe came out of a 30 minute roast with tauntingly carmelized and crispy-edges, but with soft tender middles and ever-so-slightly sweet flesh. When tossed with the maple-balsamic vinaigrette, they were worth their weight in gold.  Now granted, I love brussel sprouts more than most people I know.  In fact, I could make an entire dinner out of a big bowl of brussel sprouts, and pretty much did last night.

But today was the day to apply the roasting principle to my favorite fall soup: pumpkin.  Normally, I reserve eating this autumnal soup for special occasions, namely those that involve a chef preparing it for me.  Not that I haven't tried to match their prowess, but my home versions have fallen short.  With the passing of "birthday" week, I had the good fortune to try two different bowls of pumpkin soup while dining out.  Both were good, and quite different.  My running favorite version is served at Atria's, where a moderate spicy heat cuts through the sweetness of the pumpkin and warms your throat and tummy quite nicely.   However,  it was the second bowl, served at an upscale fish house overlooking downtown Pittsburgh for $11.95 a bowl (gasp!), that convinced me to give it a go one more time.  But this time, I was armed with the roasting weapon.

First, I must confess about the shortcut I used.  You may know that pumpkin is a winter squash, and is interchangeable in this recipe (and many others) with countless varieties of orange-fleshed winter squashes that are still available at local farmer's markets.  Run to one and stock up now!  This recipe demands a fresh squash, and not a can of pumpkin puree (don't worry, it will be worth it!).   As for me, while I have several varieties sitting on my counter, I still found a way to avoid the tricky job of carving those hard squash up into cubes.  While scurrying through the produce department at Trader Joe's, I happened upon already cut cubes of fresh butternut squash in a bag!!  Pounce on these, if you see them..... it makes this version come together so much quicker at the end of a work day.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup


Toss the pre-cut cubes (about 4-5 cups) along with a couple of chunked up onions, a few cloves of garlic, a coating of olive oil and some salt and pepper.  Spread the whole mess out in a layer on a baking sheet, and bake it at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.  They should be soft and yielding, and starting to brown in a few places. 

Proceed with stovetop steps:


1.  Saute 2 TBSP butter in  a large heavy saucepan, along with 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1.5 tsp curry powder, and a pinch of ground cayenne pepper, for 2 minutes.  Add the roasted squash/ onion/ garlic mixture to the pan and toss.
2.  Pour in 3 cups of chicken stock and 2 cups of milk, and 1/2 tsp salt.  Use your immersion blender (or transfer to traditional blender), and whir till smooth. (adjust consistency as needed by altering amounts)
3.  Back in pan, heat slowly while adding 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 cup heavy cream.  Taste for seasoning.


Come to think of it, I honestly believe I would have paid $11.95 for a bowl of this and not begrudged it, it's that good.  But herein lies the trade-off:  a mound of dishes in the kitchen :(