Caribbean Pumpkin Soup

Name: Caribbean Pumpkin Soup
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 3 tbsp. unsalted butter; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 medium white onion, minced; 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced (optional); 3 lb. pumpkin, such as calabaza or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2" pieces; 4 cups chicken stock; 4 sprigs thyme; 2 sprigs parsley; 1 bay leaf; 1 cup milk; 1 ⁄ 4 cup heavy cream; 1 ⁄ 2 tbsp. mild curry powder; 1 tsp. fresh lime juice; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; Crème fraîche, for garnish

Serves
serves 6

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PENNY DE LOS SANTOS

Green-skinned calabaza can be found in local Latin and Caribbean markets, but butternut squash is a fine substitute for the pumpkin in this cream-laced soup from home cook Abigail Blake. This recipe first appeared in our November 2013 issue with the story Soup to Shore.

Find this recipe in our cookbook, SAVEUR: Soups and Stews

Ingredients

3 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium white onion, minced
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced (optional)
3 lb. pumpkin, such as calabaza or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2" pieces
4 cups chicken stock
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 cup milk
¹⁄₄ cup heavy cream
¹⁄₂ tbsp. mild curry powder
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
¹⁄₄ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crème fraîche, for garnish

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Instructions

Step 1

Melt butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and, if using, Scotch bonnet; cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Add pumpkin, stock, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until pumpkin is very tender, 30–35 minutes. Discard thyme, parsley, and bay leaf; working in batches, purée soup in a blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan and add milk, cream, curry powder, lime juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; simmer until slightly thick, 4–6 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with a swirl of crème fraîche.

Melt butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion, and, if using, Scotch bonnet; cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Add pumpkin, stock, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until pumpkin is very tender, 30–35 minutes. Discard thyme, parsley, and bay leaf; working in batches, purée soup in a blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan and add milk, cream, curry powder, lime juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; simmer until slightly thick, 4–6 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with a swirl of crème fraîche.