Spicy Pumpkin Soup

I found this recipe on the  Simply Recipes website and decided to try it with a few substitutions. The result was a beautifully flavored soup with a hint of heat.

**I used coconut milk instead of dairy, and I substituted garlic powder for minced garlic, so I wouldn't have to use the food processor or blender. I omitted onions altogether for the same reason.

INGREDIENTS

4 Tbsp unsalted butter 

2 medium yellow onions, chopped 

2 teaspoons minced garlic 

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 

Pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

3 (15 oz) cans 100 percent pumpkin or 6 cups of chopped roasted pumpkin* 

5 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)** 

2 cups of milk 1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup heavy cream

*To make pumpkin purée, cut a sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a tin-foil lined baking pan. 

Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don't use for future use.

**If cooking gluten-free, use gluten-free broth.

METHOD

1 Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spices and stir for a minute more.

2 Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

3 Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan.

4 With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and mix. Slowly add milk while stirring to incorporate. Add cream. Adjust seasonings to taste. If a little too spicy, add more cream to cool it down. You might want to add a teaspoon of salt.

Serve in individual bowls. Sprinkle the top of each with toasted pumpkin seeds. 

Yield: Serves 8.