Edible Paradise

INGREDIENTS:

1 pumpkin, about 10 inches in diameter
1 onion, sliced fine
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon, butter

METHOD:

Cut pumpkin into quarters. Oil each piece and roast in a pre heated 400°F oven until it softens and you can smell sugars. Cool pumpkin and remove skin.

Sauté onion and garlic in butter until transparent. Add pumpkin and cook 5 minutes more. Add stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until ingredients are soft. Add salt and pepper.

Transfer mixture to blender and process until pured. Strain mixture using a fine mesh strainer. Adjust seasoning and serve as is, or choose one of the variations below.

VARIATIONS

• Use a dry sherry to lift the flavors.
• Use curry powder when sauting the onion and garlic.
• Use other squashes such as delicata and/or kabocha, etc.
• Serve with a crouton with melted Brie floating in the soup.
• Garnish with a drizzle of toasted pumpkinseed oil and crushed pumpkinseeds.
• Garnish with a fried onion frizz or garlic chips.
• Season with cumin and coriander seed and add cilantro. Top with chipotle crema.
• Use freshly minced ginger in with the onion to perk up the flavor.