When I was
in Ireland recently (tired of hearing that yet?), on a cold and drizzly day my
husband and I wandered into the tiny café on a corner (one of only two corners
in the village) in Leap, County Cork. It's
run by two English sisters, who happened to come to the village to work and
ended up starting their own business.
Now, I'm
not going to tell you that you can't buy a can or two of prepared pumpkin and
use that. To be honest, if you're
putting it in a pie (with spices) you really can't tell the difference. But I'd like to think that baking it brings
out the natural sweetness and flavor of the pumpkin, in addition to softening
it up. It's up to you.
Curried Pumpkin Soup
(for 4 servings):
2 Tblsp
butter
1 cup
chopped yellow onions1 Tblsp curry powder*
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
3 cups chicken broth (you can use vegetable broth if you prefer)
1½ cups heavy cream
4 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin (I needed only one of the pumpkins)
If you are
cooking your own pumpkin, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Slice the pumpkin in half and lay the halves,
cut side down, on the baking sheet.
Roast for 45-60 minutes, or until the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven and let cool until you
can handle it. Then scrape the flesh
from inside the rind. You should have
about 4 cups (but don't worry if it's not exact).
Melt the
butter in a large pan and cook the onions slowly without browning. Stir in the spices and cook for a minute.
Add the
broth and the pumpkin, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
Puree in a food processor or blender or food mill (whatever you happen to
have).
It goes
very well with Irish soda bread (the brown kind) which has its own sweetness,
and together they make a lovely lunch for a dreary day.
My long-time favorite |
HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY!
That sounds just right for a gray, windy day like we're having today. Thanks Sheila--and no, not tired of hearing about Ireland!
ReplyDeleteOh, that does sound lovely! It's very windy today and they are saying we will have our coldest weather yet tonight and tomorrow. I think I need to make this soup.
ReplyDeleteAnd,yes, with soda bread.
Thanks so much
This sounds perfect, Sheila. It's blowing snow here, and I've been in a curry state of mind. But 1 tablespoon? Is that enough?
ReplyDelete~ Krista
Taste and see. You can always add more ;o)
DeleteSheila, I love pumpkin soup and adding curry? Divine. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAvery / Daryl
Great post, Sheila. Enjoyed your description of the cafe, so cozy with that fireplace and the two English sisters. I'd say you have a book setting right there. :)
ReplyDeleteAgree on the savory soup -- this recipe's a keeper. Thanks and I hope you and you family have a very Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year!
~ Cleo
What a great combo! Perfect for the wintery weather we're having here. I'll make it tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sheila. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
MJ