A Pumpkin With a Purpose: Curried Pumpkin Soup

My daughter Sophie thought it would be a good idea to recycle our Halloween pumpkins this year. Of the 4 pumpkins that we picked on our apple and pumpkin picking excursions, only one was carved into a jack-o-lantern. After watching me struggle with a bevy of sharp, dangerous carving and x-acto knives to make the first one, Sophie suggested we draw faces on the rest. Phew.

When I suggested that by not cutting the pumpkins we could actually repurpose them after Halloween and make them into something delicious, she was all for it. We roasted the seeds with olive oil and salt (a big hit), and made pumpkin and sweet potato puree (not so big). With more than 6 cups of purée after cleaning, roasting and scraping the pumpkin from its skin (and throwing it into the food processor to mash), we had enough pumpkin to try a couple of experiments. Curried pumpkin soup was the big favorite—a creamy, spicy and warm bowl of goodness, and I am pleased my girls will eat something so healthful.

I have gone on before about the nutrient dense winter squashes (see sweet potato puree and butternut squash farfalle recipes) so I will be brief about the many health benefits. These beta carotene and vitamin rich foods help lower the risk of asthma, heart disease, arthritis, colon cancer and diabetes. In addition to all that has been mentioned before--we all have good reason to get more winter squashes into our meals.

So feel free to give your pumpkin an even better purpose than creating an eerie ambiance on Halloween. Cook it up and make some healthy and delicious fall foods!

Curried Pumpkin Soup

2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons curry powder

3 ½ cups fresh pumpkin purée (or use canned pumpkin)

4 cups water

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 (14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup olive oil

Cook onions in butter in a wide 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry and cardamom and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in salt, red pepper flakes, pumpkin, water, broth, and coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. In batches, purée soup in a food processor or blender until smooth (be careful when blending hot liquids!), and return soup to pot. Keep soup warm over low heat. Correct seasonings and thin with additional chicken stock, if needed.