Roasted Pumpkin Soup... Delish!

Most of us in the US are stuck with many pounds of pumpkins after Halloween festivities. Not a problem! We came up with this great recipe for pumpkin soup. The whole family is going to love it!

Roasted Pumpkin Soup
6 servings

- 1 medium pumpkin (about 4 pounds).
- 1 tablespoon of butter.
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped.
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped.
- 6 cups of chicken stock.
- 3/4 cup of heavy cream.
- 1/4 cup of orange juice.
- Freshly grated nutmeg.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley.
- 2 tablespoons salted sunflower seeds.

Cut the pumpkin in slices from top to bottom, and place the pieces on an oiled baking sheet. Bake them for about 45 minutes, or until they can be easily skewered.
Remove the seeds with a spoon and discard. Scrape the pulp and reserve. Discard the skin.

Melt butter in a soup pot, add the onion and garlic, stirring occasionally until the onion is soft. Don't let it burn. Add the pumpkin and the stock, and simmer it until the pumpkin falls apart, about 30 minutes. Let it cool.

Puree the soup in batches, using a blender for 2 or 3 minutes, until very smooth. Place it back in the pot, add the orange juice, the cream and the nutmeg. Season it with salt and pepper. Correct the consistency with additional stock or water.

After serving, sprinkle the bowls with chopped parsley and the sunflower seeds.

Pumpkin is a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Pumpkin