Chef Abimael Vargas at The Shore Club in Elkhart Lake adds tantalizing hints of warm spice to elevate this silky soup.
Ingredients
- Vegetable Oil 1 Tbs
- Butter 1 Tbs
- Fresh Pumpkin 2 lbs, peeled, deseeded and cubed
- Onions 2 medium, chopped
- Garlic minced, 2 Tbs
- Carrots chopped 4 medium, chopped
- Coconut Milk ½ cup
- Vegetable or Chicken Stock 8 cups
- Chinese Five Spice 1 Tbs
- Cinnamon 1 Tbs
- Fresh Thyme 1 sprig
- Cream 1 cup
- Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Toasted Pumpkin Seeds for garnish
Cook It
- Heat the butter and oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until the garlic and onion are aromatic and soft.
- Add the carrots and pumpkin and sauté for 10 minutes, until the pumpkin starts to brown.
- Reduce the heat and stir in the stock and coconut milk. Add the thyme and spices, and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook until the vegetables are very tender. Take the pot off the stove and remove the thyme.
- With a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth.
- Return to the stove and cook for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Just before serving stir in the cream. Garnish with the pumpkin seeds.
