Creamy Sweet Pie Pumpkin Soup

Fall is squash season, and I love to cook. The choices are endless. So sweet pie pumpkins were on sale. I’ve been trained to buy what’s on sale. So I bought one and made creamy sweet pie pumpkin soup.

Let’s start by talking about pumpkins, Pumpkins are squash, like Butternut, Acorn, and Kabocha squash. They are a Winter Squash, as opposed to Summer squash, which is Zucchini, Yellow Squash and many more. Their season is in the is obviously fall and winter. However, they can be stored in a cool dry environment for up to a couple of months. Great for cooking and making pies. The larger Pumpkins are great for carving, the smaller ones are sweeter and great for cooking. For this recipe we’re going to use sweet pie pumpkin in about 2 to 3 pound range.

All good soups and stews start with a good flavor base. For this we’ll cook up some mirepoix, check this link Mirepoix: The Building Block for the Best Soups and Stews . Carrots, onions and celery chopped fine and cooked over a medium heat, till soft. The idea is to cook the vegetables to release their flavors, do not allow them to caramelize.

Whenever I cook any creamy squash soup I always roast the squash first. Check theses recipes Creamy Kabocha Squash Soup, Creamy Butternut Squash Soup. A couple of things happen during the roasting. Firstly, some of the water in the flesh of the squash evaporates, enhancing the flavor of the squash. Also, some of the sugars in the flesh caramelize (the darker bits that look a little toasty). These will add more depth to the flavor. Roasting is easy. Cut the squash in half from top to bottom, scoop out the seeds and webbing. Rub with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in a 400 degree oven for about 45 mins. Till the flesh is soft and the edges are a little toasty. When the Pumpkin is cooked, allow to cool, scoop out the flesh and set aside

All good soups and stews start with a mirepoix. It makes the savory base that everything else will build upon. We’re also going to add a couple of potatoes. This helps to give the soup a more creamy substance. Normally a couple of white russets peeled and cubed work fine. However, if you want to mix things up a bit, you can add a sweet potato. Peeled and cubed, don’t want any of the skin in the soup

Now would also be a good time to discuss the liquid we’re going to add. There are a few choices. Firstly chicken or vegetable. Well, that can depend on your diet, if you use vegetable then the soup can be vegetarian. If you use chicken, you have the choice of regular or low sodium, depending on your dietary requirements. I prefer to use my own chicken broth, it’s delicious

I’m a believer in one pot cooking, not just for easier cleanup. When you cook anything bits stick to the pot. These bits are important, they’re an important part of the flavor of whatever you’re cooking. So pick a pot big enough to cook the soup. I usually make mine in a 5 qt pot, it seems to fit the bill

Melt a tablespoon of butter over a medium heat, add the chopped veggies, stir everything to mix up, cover. Now the idea of the mirepoix is to cook the veggies till soft, not caramelize. Stir as often as needed, keep the heat medium, and keep the lid on. When they are cooked, add the seasonings and give them a couple of minutes to release their flavors.

Now to add the cubed potato, cooked squash and stock. Raise the heat to high, bring to a boil while stirring. When it boils, lower the heat to simmer, cover and let cook. “let cook”, what does that mean? its a pretty broad statement, how long? Well, during this process all the ingredients in the pot start to come together. The only thing that actually has to be cooked is the potato, that’ll be done in about 1/2 hour. But we want to give the flavors time, to mix up, so, lets give it an hour. Also, just as a note, after the soup has been blended it has a tendency to stick. So now is the time to let the soup become soup.

Now to make the soup creamy. As usual, a few options. If you have an immersion blender you can blend the soup right there in the pot. Well, have at it, go ahead, blend away, and skip the next few sentences. If you’re like me and don’t have an immersion blender, then, like me, you’ll use a good old fashioned blender. The one that makes great smoothies. Mine is a glass one, so heat isn’t a factor. If yours is plastic, make sure you can put hot liquids in it

Speaking of hot liquids, there’s a burn hazard here, but with a little care and planning all will go well. It’s best to set up a work station on your counter. A hot plate to put the pot on, a ladle for the soup, the blender and a bowl. Ladle about a cup at a time into the blender and blend till smooth, pour into the bowl. Do this in batches till all the soup is blended. Pour the soup back into the pot and put over a medium heat for about 15 mins. This lets the soup relax after the blending.

That’s it, creamy sweet pie pumpkin soup, now to enjoy the fruits of your labors. Serve with warm toasted bread, maybe some buttery crostini, the choices are there