A lot of people associate Thanksgiving with a plate full of turkey and a bunch of other stuff smushed onto the plate. But sometimes its nice to switch it up a little and add a course or two, slowing it down, adding an extra layer of civilization to the crazy, energized occasion with friends and family. This porridge-like soup does the job pretty well, and although it is super rich and creamy, it is actually vegan, so you wont weigh your guests down too much before the main turkey event, and everyone at the table can enjoy it, whatever their dietary considerations.
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pumpkin, potato & leek soup
1 pound red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into quarters
1
pound or about 2 cups (or more if you love pumpkin) cooked fresh pumpkin pulp
or canned equivalent.
2 leeks, trimmed and cut into quarter inch
pieces
1 parsnip, diced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely
chopped
2 quarts vegetable broth (or chicken broth for
non-vegan)
2 tsp. herbes de provence
1 cup raw
pumpkinseeds (pepitas)
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley and freshly grated
nutmeg for garnish
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the leeks and potatoes, and cook for about 10 minutes until the leeks start to brown and stick to the potatoes. Add the pumpkin and the parsnip, and continue to cook, stirring a bit, for about another 10 minutes, until the entire mixture is warm and bubbling from the bottom. Meanwhile warm up the broth in a separate pan. Add the warmed broth to the potato and pumpkin mixture, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a rolling simmer. Simmer the soup until everything is cooked through and well blended, about 20 or 30 minutes. The longer you cook the more thick and rich it will become. I found this time frame to be perfect. Remove from the stove, add the pepitas and herbs de provence, and give it a quick stir to incorporate.
Ladle the soup into a blender about halfway full. Cover the blender pitcher, and start by pulsing at very low speed, to avoid the hot liquid from bursting out due to high pressure. Gradually increase the speed until you are able to completely purée the soup. Repeat until all the soup is puréed. Return the soup to the heat just to bring it up to a good temperature for serving. Taste for salt and pepper before serving. Serve with a chopped parsley and a hint of freshly grated nutmeg on top.
pumpkin, potato & leek soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound red potatoes unpeeled and cut into quarters
- 1 pound cooked fresh pumpkin pulp or canned equivalent. or about 2 cups; or more if you love pumpkin
- 2 leeks trimmed and cut into quarter inch pieces
- 1 parsnip diced
- 3 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- 2 quarts vegetable broth or chicken broth for non-vegan
- 2 tsp. herbes de Provence
- 1 cup raw pumpkinseeds pepitas
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley and freshly grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the leeks and potatoes, and cook for about 10 minutes until the leeks start to brown and stick to the potatoes.
- Add the pumpkin and the parsnip, and continue to cook, stirring a bit, for about another 10 minutes, until the entire mixture is warm and bubbling from the bottom.
- Meanwhile warm up the broth in a separate pan. Add the warmed broth to the potato and pumpkin mixture, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a rolling simmer. Simmer the soup until everything is cooked through and well blended, about 20 or 30 minutes. The longer you cook the more thick and rich it will become. I found this time frame to be perfect.
- Remove from the stove, add the pepitas and herbs de provence, and give it a quick stir to incorporate.
- Ladle the soup into a blender about halfway full. Cover the blender pitcher, and start by pulsing at very low speed, to avoid the hot liquid from bursting out due to high pressure. Gradually increase the speed until you are able to completely purée the soup.
- Repeat until all the soup is puréed. Return the soup to the heat just to bring it up to a good temperature for serving.
- Taste for salt and pepper before serving. Serve with a chopped parsley and a hint of freshly grated nutmeg on top.