Pumpkin Soup

I thought I had blogged about this already, but apparently I haven't. I linked to the original recipe in my first Thanksgiving menu post back in '09, but I have since made some additions to the soup which make it even better! With the heavy cream, it's not exactly healthy, but one reviewer of the original recipe said she accidentally left the cream out, and did not miss it. 

This is one of my most favorite soups ever. I could eat it every day in the winter. This is a great choice to make in large batches and freeze for later — I usually make at least a quadruple batch in my large (20-quart) soup pot that I inherited from my grandfather.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Adapted from AllRecipes.com
Makes 4 main course servings, or 6 appetizer servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped white onion (half of a medium onion)
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 (14 ½ oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth to keep soup vegetarian)
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat, and saute the chopped onion until tender (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add one of the cans of chicken broth, stir well, and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Remove saucepan from heat, and puree the onions and broth until smooth with an immersion blender. If you do not own an immersion blender, cool the broth to room temperature before transferring the broth (in batches, if necessary) to a blender and pureeing until smooth. Return the broth to the saucepan.
3. Add the remaining can of broth, and the pumpkin, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, cayenne, and brown sugar. Stir until all ingredients are blended. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, and reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minuets, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in the heavy cream, and heat through (do not boil). Ladle into individual soup bowls. Top with thinly sliced scallions, and serve with crusty French bread, if desired.

TIPS AND HINTS

• Make an effort to chop the onion as finely as you can. The more chopping you do now, the easier it will be to puree the soup in step 2.
• If using an immersion blender (I have this one from Braun), use two pieces of plastic wrap to create a sort of cover over the saucepan. It can get messy!
• If using a blender to puree the soup, it is important to cool the broth! If you blend hot liquids in a covered blender, it may make the glass blender explode!
• If you like it extra spicy, feel free to increase the cayenne pepper -- using ½ teaspoon gives it quite a kick!
• If you decide to freeze this soup to eat later, do not fill the plastic container to the brim. Liquids expand when they freeze, and will crack your plastic container.