Pumpkin Soup recipe

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Pumpkin has become a symbol for Halloween, especially in the USA, so today is Pumpkin day

A great tasty pumpkin soup recipe with a novel way of serving it, which I know will be a big hit with your family or guests.

Ingredients

• 1 large pumpkin.
• 4 small pumpkins. 
• 2 to 3 carrots.
• 1 large potato peeled and cut  into cubes.
• 1 large red onion chopped.
• 3 large garlic cloves chopped or 3tsp crushed garlic.
• 2 celery stalks.
• 6-8 cups chicken or veg stock.
• 2 tsp. olive oil.
• 1 Tbsp. plain yoghurt. 
• Coriander (Dhania) leaves for garnishing.
• Sprinkle of nutmeg for garnishing.

Method

• Pre heat oven to 200°c (390°f).
• Cut the 4 pumpkins in half and take out the seeds.
• Drizzle with a olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place the halved pumpkin face down on a baking tray lined with tin foil or baking paper.
• Place in oven and bake for 20-35 minutes depending on size of pumpkin.
• While the pumpkin is baking we will need to do the next step.
  STEP 2
• Wash peel and dice your carrots, celery and potato.
• Peel and slice onion and garlic.
• Take a large pot and drizzle the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.
• Place all your diced veggies in the pot and  turn hob to med heat.
• Allow them to sweat and release liquid and become tender, take care not to let them turn brown.
• Add salt and black pepper to taste.
• Add 2 stalks or a ¼ spoon of ground thyme.
• When your veggies are ready, remove from heat and wait until the baked pumpkin in the oven is ready.
  

STEP 3.

• Remove baked pumpkin from oven allow to cool.
• Scoop out the flesh, leaving the outer skin.
• Place the flesh into your pot with the veggies.
• Place your pot back onto the stove plate.
• Set temp to medium.
• Add stock, covering your veggies.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Allow to simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes .
• When all veggies are soft.
• Remove from stove.
• Using a hand mixer or blender.
• Blend soup until a smooth, creamy consistency is reached

Plating

I love this part, because you will be using the outer skin of the baked pumpkin you saved earlier !!! I hope you did, cause that is what we are going to use as a soup bowl for our favorite pumpkin soup recipe.

• Ladle soup into your pumpkin bowls.
• Add a spoon of yoghurt in the middle and sprinkle with grounded nutmeg.
• Garnish with fresh coriander (Dhania).
• Serve with any fresh  buns or rolls.
• Crotons.
• Any fresh bread.
• Or just have it as it is. It will taste great any way you serve it.

CARRY ON

This article was printed from Home-Cooking-Haven.com.com

Oven Temp's

Cooking Terms and Tips

Al Dente: Usually applied to Pasta, means cooked until just done, but not soft. The pasta should still maintain some "bite:

Barbeque:  To cook foods over coals, known as a Braai in South Africa (The best in the world for this type of cooking).

Baste: To moisten food for added flavor and to prevent drying out while cooking.

Blanch: To cook briefly in boiling water to seal in flavour and color.

Bouquet Garni: A tied bundle of herbs, usually parsley, thyme, and bay leaves that are added to flavor soups, stews, and sauces but removed before serving.

Braise: Two cook first by browning, then gently simmer till done.

Bread: To coat with crumbs or cornmeal before cooking.

Broil: To cook on a rack or spit during or over direct heat, usually in and on top.

Brown: Two cook over high heat, usually on top of the stove, to brown food.

Caramelize: To Heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a syrup.

Core: To remove the seeds or tough woody centers from fruits and vegetables.

Cream: The butterfat portion of milk.   Also to beat ingredients, usually sugar and a fat, until smooth and fluffy.

Cube: To cut food into small ½ inch cubes.

Cut In: To distribute a solid fat in flour using a cutting motion, with 2 knives used scissors-fashion or a pastry blender, until divided evenly into tiny pieces.  Usually refers to making pastry.

Croutons: These are tiny cubes of toasted or fried bread, used as a garnish.

Coriander:  Also known as Dhania.

Dollop: A spoonful of soft food such as whipped cream or mashed potatoes.

Dot: To scatter butter in bits over food.

Dress: To coat foods such as salad with a sauce.  Also, to clean fish, poultry or game for cooking.

Drippings: Juices and fats rendered by meat or poultry while cooking.

Drizzle: To pour melted butter, oil, syrup, melted chocolate, or other liquid back and forth over food in a fine stream.

Experiment:   Always keep to the basics, but, take out and put in spices etc. to your tastes.

Fines Herbs: A mixture of herbs, normally parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon used to flavor fish, chicken and eggs.

Glace: To coat foods with glossy mixtures such as jellies or sauces.

Julienne: To cut into long thin strips match-sticklike in shape

Macerate: To soak in flavoured liquid; usually refers to fruit

Picked Over:  If you are working with lentils or other beans you might sometimes find a few little rocks that managed to sneak their way in, picked over means to make sure there are none left in what you are going to be using.

Poach: To cook gently over very low heat  is barely simmering liquid just to cover.

Puree: To mash or grind food until completely smooth. Usually in a food processor, blender, sieve, or food mill.

Ragout:  The basic method of preparation involves slow cooking over a low heat.

Reduce: To thicken a liquid and concentrate its flavor by boiling.

Render: To cook fatty meat or poultry - such as bacon or goose - over low heat to obtain drippings.

Sear:  To brown surface of meat quickly over a high heat, to seal in juices.

Simmer: To cook in liquid at just below boiling point, with only a few bubbles breaking the surface.

Skim:  To remove surface foam or fat from a liquid.

Seep:  To soak in a liquid just under the boiling point to extract the essence i.e. Tea.

Truss: To tie whole poultry with skin or skewers so it will hold its shape in cooking.

Whip: To beat eggs or cream with a wire whisk, eggbeater or electric mixer which increases the volume as air is incorporated into the eggs or cream.

Zest: The outer, colored part of the peel of citrus fruits.

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