Pumpkin Soup

Growing up I never had a taste for pumpkin probably because I had never tried it, however after a few Guide camps where you took what you could, I started to like pumpkin. Then when we were at the Casino for dinner one night after Sean had played netball down the coast I decided to try the pumpkin soup – so very very yummy. So when my friend Beth was telling us about this wonderful pumpkin soup recipe she had found on the net, I thought I have to try this and oh my kitchen, it was wonderful 🙂

Yesterday I made a double recipe, using a whole butternut so I could have some for lunch and the rest to freeze for later lunches. mmmm 🙂

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP WITH BACON
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

2 slices bacon
1/2 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
white and pale green parts of 1 large leek, chopped fine and washed well (about 1 cup)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 bay leaf
1 1/4 pounds butternut squash, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 medium Granny Smith or other tart apple
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup water plus additional for thinning soup
2 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraîche

Accompaniments
Sour cream or crème fraîche
chopped unpeeled apple

In a skillet cook bacon until crisp and drain, reserving 1 1/2 tablespoons fat. Crumble bacon.

In a heavy saucepan cook onion, leek, garlic, and bay leaf with salt and pepper to taste in reserved fat over moderate heat, stirring, until softened.

Add squash, apple, peeled and chopped, broth, and 1/2 cup water. Simmer mixture, covered, until squash is very tender, about 15 minutes, and discard bay leaf.

In a blender purée mixture in batches, transferring as puréed to a clean saucepan, and add enough additional water to thin soup to desired consistency.

Whisk in sour cream or crème fraîche and salt and pepper to taste and heat soup over moderately low heat until hot (do not boil).

Serve soup topped with crumbled bacon and accompaniments.

Makes about 4 1/2 cups.
Gourmet
October 1994

From – Epicurious

Helen’s notes:
I have never added the Leek and just use chicken stock powder for the broth.
I use what ever apple is in the fridge and rarely thin it out with water, instead adding a bit more sour cream and blending it with sour cream in.
I always skip the salt and just add a few more bay leaves.