Pumpkin Cream Soup from a Gorgeous Gourd

If it's autumn, it's time for pumpkin!  And our pumpkin cream soup says it loud and clear.  Although not a “traditional” Italian dish, our guests enjoy our homemade soups quite a bit. Topping this hot soup with a dollop of freshly whipped cream is a terrific accent.

Ingredients

24 oz canned pumpkin (substitute 8 cups of fresh cooked pumpkin when possible)

½ quart butter milk

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup 2% milk

1 cup chopped onions

1/8 cup chopped garlic

2 1/2 oz sweet Sherry

Salt to taste

Pinch of finely ground black pepper

2 tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp of cyan pepper

½ stick of salted butter

2 Tbs of cooking oil

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Tools

Food processor or blender

In a medium sauce pan place the butter and oil on medium heat.  Wait until the butter melts and add onions, garlic and black pepper.  Sauté until the onions are translucent.  Add liquor to onions and garlic on low heat.  Stir to combine.

In a large sauce pan add the pumpkin, cinnamon, cyan pepper and buttermilk on medium heat.  Stir to combine.  Once the onion mixture reduces, add 1 cup of cream and ½ cup milk. Stir to combine and cook on lowest setting.  Add the rest of the milk and cream to the pumpkin mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add the onion mixture to the pumpkin mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add salt to taste.  Bring to a simmer.

Add soup to food processor or blender 2-3 cups at a time.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  Move blended soup to holding bowl until all the remaining mixture has been blended.  Return blended soup to large sauce pan.  Bring to simmer and cook for 5 more minutes. The soup should be creamy and rich, but not too thick. 

Whip cream to thick peaks. Serve the soup hot and add a tsp. of whipped cream to the center of each bowl just prior to serving.  Serve quickly to avoid having the whipped cream melt. Serves 4-6.

Note:  If fresh pumpkin is used, you may have to reduce the amount of cream and Buttermilk.  This will depend on how much water content the fresh pumpkin has.

 (Our recipe was also published in Views and Voices in 2012.)