Some soups are hearty and by their very nature, comfort food. Others are so elegant that by including them as the first course of a meal, the entire evening is off to a good start.
This tomato-based, saffron-infused pumpkin soup is both.
It's also probably the most healing soup I know. The amazing healing power of pumpkin is multiplied with bell peppers for a good dose of Vitamin C and chicken broth to clear the sinuses. It's a soup I think of whenever a little winter healing is needed.
Most pumpkin soups are cream based and retain a strong pumpkin flavor. Not this one. The pumpkin is cooked into the rich broth until the flavors meld to create a complex masterpiece.
It can be made with fresh pumpkin or canned and same with the tomatoes. The best, of course, is always fresh from the garden or at least home-canned from the summer garden.
But my motto in the kitchen is always to make use of what you have. With this soup, that includes making use of nature's healing gifts wherever you find them.
Savory Pumpkin Soup
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs olive oil
6 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 sugar pumpkin, diced and roasted, seeds removed and toasted
1 quart chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp herbs de provence
1/2 tsp saffron
salt and pepper to taste
Cook onion and pepper in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook one more minute.
Add pumpkin dice and tomatoes, cook until fragrant.
Add broth, herbs and spices. Cook for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove bay leaves and discard.
Blend until smooth. Serve warm, garnished with freshly toasted pumpkin seeds.
UPDATE: An innkeeper asked if substituting veggie broth will produce the same result for veggie-only guests. Yes and no.
Veggie broth can almost always be substituted in a soup with very little difference in flavor and that's certainly true with this soup.
But a home-made bone broth is unique in its healing power. Whenever possible, I use a bone broth for this to get the full effect.
So if the guests (or the innkeeper) are sniffling and need a healing soup, don't forget the bones.
