Pumpkin and Apple Soup

Our first Harvest Dinner on October 23 was a great success. Guests raved about all the dishes, but the most-requested recipe by far was the pumpkin -apple soup, so the Kitchen Mouse is sharing it with you!
Remember, our chefs don't use exact measurements, so you'll have to taste and adjust...just like they do!

Pumpkin and Apple Soup

Serves 6

1 large pumpkin

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 C peeled Granny Smith apples

5 C vegetable stock

1 C heavy cream

1/2 tsp each: ground ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut pumpkin open and scrape out seeds and stringy fiber. Cut into chunks, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Place cut sides up in a shallow baking dish and roast 45 minutes or until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Heat 2 T oil in a soup pot and add the garlic and onion and saute until golden. Add diced apple, 41/2 C stock and spices. Cover and simmer gently about 10 minutes or until apples are soft.

Puree the pumpkin in a food processor with remaining half cup of vegetable stock until smooth. Transfer to a bowl while you puree the apple/onion mixture. Transfer both purees back to the soup pot and stir. Add cream. If the soup is too thick, you can add more cream.

Bring the soup to a simmer and cook over low heat about 5-10 more minutes, or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. You can also cool the soup and reheat it later. 

We garnished it with browned butter and roasted, spiced pumpkin seeds, but it's just as good without.