Ingredients
5lbscooking pumpkins
4tbspbutter
2medium yellow onions,chopped, about 2 cups
3garlic cloves,minced
3tsppaprika,smoked, more or less taste
½tspground cumin
1pinchcayenne pepper
1tart green apple,large, granny smith, peeled, cored, chopped
4cupschicken broth,or vegetable broth for vegetarian option, and gluten free broth for gluten free version
1cupwater
1tspfresh thyme,or ½ dried thyme
¼tspground sage
1cupmilk
½cupcream
salt and freshly ground pepper,to taste
toasted pepitas,shelled pumpkin seeds, for garnish
Preparation
Roast the squash: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut your pumpkin(s) in half, and scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff (an ice cream scoop works well for this purpose). Lay the halves face down on a foil or silicone lined baking sheet and bake until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, remove the peel, scoop out the flesh. You’ll need 6 cups roasted pumpkin for this recipe; freeze whatever you don’t use for future use. Don’t throw away the seeds! Toast them for a healthy snack.
Cook the onions with the seasonings: Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Add smoked paprika, ground cumin, and cayenne and stir for a minute more.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer: Add the chopped apple, pumpkin, broth, water, thyme, and ground sage. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the apples are cooked through.
Purée the soup: Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender or a food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to purée. If you want extra smooth soup, pass the purée through a food mill, after it’s been through the blender.
Stir in the milk and cream: Return the soup to the saucepan over low heat. Slowly add the milk and cream, stirring to incorporate. Taste and add additional salt or other seasonings if needed. (Since I use unsalted homemade stock, I add about 2 teaspoons of salt to this soup.)
Serve! Sprinkle with toasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) and a little more smoked paprika to serve. This soup can be made a day ahead. Leftovers will keep refrigerated for about a week, or frozen for up to three months.
