Pumpkin Soup With Allspice Whipped Cream Fried Leeks Recipes

JUDY'S PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and leek in melted butter until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, pumpkin puree, curry powder, salt, white pepper, ground ginger, and bay leaf to onion mixture; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat to cool. Pour broth mixture into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pot and bring to a boil.
• Gradually stir half-and-half into pumpkin mixture; cook until soup is heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.

PUMPKIN (SQUASH), LEEK, BEAN AND BACON SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a dutch oven or large, deep saucepan that can hold all the ingredients.
• Lightly fry the chopped bacon. Remove and set aside. If the bacon has released a lot of fat, drain off as much as you wish.
• Reheat the remaining oil/bacon fat. Add sliced leek and onion and crushed garlic, and saute until tender.
• Add chopped pumpkin and saute for five minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add stock, beans, bacon, tarragon, thyme and chili flakes.
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork tender.
• Add 1/4 cup parsley.
• Zap the cooked mixture with a stab blender or buzz up in a food processor. Or crush with a potato masher. The choice depends on your consistency preferences.
• Stir in cream (if used), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and additional parsley or coriander (cilantro).

LEEK AND PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy casserole. Add the leeks and saute slowly, over low heat, until they are tender but not brown. Stir in the garlic.
• Add the pumpkin and water, cover and simmer until the pumpkin is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool for 15 minutes, then puree in one or two batches in a food processor.
• Return the puree to the casserole, add the milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat before serving. Sprinkle each serving with chives.

PUMPKIN, SWEET POTATO, LEEK AND COCONUT MILK SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and leek, and cook for a few minutes, until soft. Stir in the pumpkin, sweet potato, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low.
• Simmer for about 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Mash vegetables coarsely using a potato masher. Stir in the coconut milk, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH ALLSPICE WHIPPED CREAM & FRIED LEEKS

Steps:

• Coat a large, deep pot with olive oil; add the leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic and bring to medium-high heat. Season with salt and sweat the veggies until they start to soften and are very aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin and potato and sprinkle with salt. Stir to coat the mixture with the oil and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes; add the wine and reduce by half.
• Add the stock, thyme bundle, and bay leaves. Squeeze the orange halves directly into the soup, then add both halves. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Bring to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS); cook for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Remove and discard the orange halves, thyme bundle, and bay leaves and use an immersion blender or upright blender to purée the soup (if you're using a regular blender, cool the mixture for about 5 minutes and work in batches). You want the purée to be very smooth and velvety, so purée the crap out of it! If the consistency is too thick, add a bit of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• Heat an inch of oil in a small saucepan set over medium heat. While the oil heats, set up your drying situation next to the stove by putting a couple layers of paper towels on a baking sheet. When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the leeks until crispy and brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or fish spatula to remove the leeks and set them on the paper towels to drain; sprinkle with salt.
• Use a hand or stand mixer-or if you're feeling strong, a regular old whisk-to whip the cream and allspice until the cream holds its shape in soft peaks (see page 234).
• Ladle the soup into serving bowls, top with a dollop of the whipped cream, and garnish with the fried leeks.

CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. If the onions begin browning too quickly, turn the heat to low.
• Add the maple syrup and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have darkened in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cider and cook, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced by about half.
• Add the broth, pumpkin purée, curry powder, nutmeg, cloves, salt and pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook at a full simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching.
• Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender or food processor and return to the pot (or use an immersion blender). Bring back to a simmer over medium heat, then turn off the heat and stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add more broth if the soup is too thick.
• To make the optional fried sage topping, melt the butter in a small or medium skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves and fry until just crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a fork, transfer the sage leaves to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the butter left behind in the pan.
• To serve, spoon the soup into individual bowls. Top each serving with 2 fried sage leaves and a drizzle of the reserved butter (if using), or a swirl of cream and pinch of nutmeg. Serve hot.