How to Make Pumpkin Soup

Years ago, my Mother and I were invited to luncheon at the home of one of her friends who had just returned from working as a missionary in Africa. "Beth" served up a fabulous meal, the focal point of which was cold pumpkin soup served up in a hollowed pumpkin and garnished with chopped parsley.

Pumpkin soup isn't something that Americans traditionally eat, but according to Beth, squash soup of all types were very common in Southern Africa. Pumpkin is rich in fiber and nutrition, with a single serving providing 245% DV of Vitamin A, 8% of iron and 19% of Vitamin C.

So how did Beth prepare her fabulous pumpkin soup recipe?

It begins with a small pumpkin, what we call a "pie" pumpkin. Pie varieties are more tender and meaty, and not quite so woody in the center. To prepare the pumpkin for cooking, slice in half to remove the seeds and fibrous strands. After removing the seeds, the pumpkin should be cut into smaller wedges which makes it a bit easier to pare the skin. Compost the parings, and set aside the slices for now.

Ingredients

Ingredients needed for Beth's African Pumpkin Soup recipe include:

1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup of butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh cream
4 cups of reserved liquid
4 or 5 chicken bouillon cubes, according to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Chop the pumpkin into cubes, place in a 4L soup kettle, and add enough salted water to just cover. Boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cubes and place in a mixing bowl for now. Carefully measure out 4 cups of the liquid and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in the 4L soup kettle, then sauté the chopped onion and garlic until tender, about five minutes.

3. Add the reserved liquid, cooked pumpkin, paprika, bouillon cubes, and rosemary to the kettle and bring to a boil, stirring continually. Once the soup begins to boil, turn down the heat to low and cook for another 15 minutes.