Pumpkin Soup

It's crisp and cool here in Germany. Wonderful small pumpkins are beginning to flood the farms markets. Last week I made the season's first batch of pumpkin soup. A nice balance between sweet and savory, it almost makes it okay that summer has ended.


Make 2 to 3 servings

1 small to medium pumpkin
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 onion
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons cream
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut pumpkin into quarters and remove seeds. Place face up on a baking sheet. Coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove pumpkin from oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove pumpkin skin.*

Dice onion and, in a medium-sized pot sauté in remain oil until translucent. Add pumpkin and stock. Season with salt and pepper and allow the liquid to come to a boil.

Using either an emersion blender or stand up blender, puree the contents of the pot until completely smooth. Add butter and cream and blend until full incorporated. Taste and reseason as needed. If necessary, return soup to pot to reheat. Serve hot.

* I removed half of the pumpkin skin and left the other half on. If you want a very smooth, fine texture remove all of the skin.