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Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Ginger Browned Butter

Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Ginger Browned Butter

Serves: 8

Ingredients
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 lbs. butternut or acorn squash
  • 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided 7 tbsp. butter, divided
  • About 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger, divided
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp. freshly ground cardamom seeds (from about 4 pods)
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 lbs. Sugar Pie or other baking pumpkin

Instructions
  1. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
  2. Put a small bowl or measuring cup next to the stove. Melt remaining 4 tbsp. butter in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tsp. fresh ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter starts to foam.
  3. Cover pan with foil and bake until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.
  4. Preheat oven to 375°. Cut pumpkin and squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and any stringy parts. Put flesh side up in a large roasting pan with 1 cup broth.
  5. When pumpkin and squash are tender, scoop out flesh and set aside; discard skins. Reserve any liquid in bottom of pan.
  6. Reduce heat to low or medium-low and cook onions, stirring every few minutes, until they turn a caramel color and become quite sweet, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
  7. Meanwhile, melt 3 tbsp. butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and start to look creamy, 5 minutes.
  8. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add remaining 7 cups broth, the carrots, cooked pumpkin and squash, and reserved liquid from roasting pan.
  9. Return pot with onions to medium-high heat. Add garlic and 2 tbsp. fresh ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom.
  10. Whirl vegetables in a blender (in batches) until completely smooth. (For silky-smooth soup, you can pour the pureed soup through a strainer.) Return to pot and stir in brown sugar. Season with salt to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
  11. Stir mixture constantly until it starts to brown. Pour mixture into waiting bowl or measuring cup. Divide soup among 8 bowls and serve hot, with a swirl of ginger browned butter in each serving.