Here's great recipe for Pumpkin Soup with Lime that I found hanging on the bulletin board at the YMCA and tried in my slow cooker. I thought it turned out pretty good – different but good! The paper didn't say where it came from but hopefully if the Y can share it, so can I!
Description: This soup, which is delicious hot or cold, has its origins in both French provincial and Latin American cuisine. It's breathtakingly easy and makes an elegant start to any meal. If pumpkin is unavailable, substitute any orange-fleshed squash, such as acorn or butternut.
6 cups peeled pumpkin, cut into 2-inch cubes
3 leeks, white part only, cleaned and coarsely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Zest and juice of 1 lime
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup whipping cream
6 to 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
Finely chopped chives or cilantro
1. In slow cooker stoneware, combine pumpkin, leeks, stock, salt and black pepper.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours, until pumpkin is tender. Strain vegetables, reserving stock. In a blender or food processor, puree vegetables with 1 cup reserved stock until smooth. Or, using a hand-held blender, puree the soup in stoneware.
3. If serving hot, return soup to slow cooker, add remaining stock, lime zest and juice, cayenne and cream and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes. If serving cold, combine ingredients in a large bowl and chill thoroughly.
4. When ready to serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, if using, and chives or cilantro.
Tips: If using pumpkin seeds, panfry in a dry, hot skillet until they are lightly browned and puffed. When purchasing pumpkin seeds, taste first, as they tend to go rancid quickly store in freezer until ready for use. If substituting squash for pumpkin, try the frozen diced version for convenience.
You can also assemble this the night before it is cooked. The next morning start with cooking step #1.
(MY NOTES: I wasn't as crazy about using the seeds since they are chewy in a smooth soup. This is a great MUG soup too. Pour it into your favorite mug and drink on the go.
I tried chilling a cup and the lime comes out a little too strong perhaps when cold. I preferred warming it again to eat or really drink. Definitely a do-again!
AND, you can use any pumpkin – even the ones for carving. See below where we turned what was left of our pumpkin into a scary open mouth for Halloween.)
