Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Soup is comfort, soup is easy and in the season of pumpkins... Pumpkin Soup. (Kürbis) I chose to use a soup-friendly pumpkin here in Vienna known as the Ambercup, but I also like Hokkaido. Ambercups are smallish, orange and have a dry, sweet taste.

Preheat oven to 400° F, and get yourself these things:
1 Pumpkin (~1 lb or medium sized), halfed and seeded
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Celery Stalks, roughly chopped
2 Carrots, roughly chopped
1 Shallot, roughly chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/2 Tsp. ground Nutmeg
3 - 4 cups Broth
*Heavy cream, Apple cider (optional)

Slice the specimen in half, spoon out the guts and place cut-side-down in a cassarole dish. Fill the dish with about a cup of water so that it does not dry out or burn. Bake at 400° F for around 45 minutes, or until a paring knife glides through the thickest part. Let cool (or treat yourself to a game of hot potato) and scoop the flesh from the outer skin. Set roasted pumpkin aside.



In a large pot heat olive oil, and cook shallots for 5 min. Create a hot spot in the pot by pushing the shallots to the side, and add minced garlic. Cook for 1/2 min (do not burn garlic). Add carrots, celery and sauté for 5 min. Add 3 cups of broth, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer until soft. Add pumpkin/salt & pepper/nutmeg. Puree until smooth. Add more broth if soup is too thick.

*You can also add a bit of heavy cream and apple cider for a more sweet and creamy soup.

Garnish with pumpkin seed oil and serve.