Pumpkin and Chili Soup
Can't find a 4-pound pumpkin? You can substitute one 29-ounce can of pumpkin, unseasoned — it won't affect the flavor.
SERVES 4–6
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (4-pound) pumpkin
- ¼ pound bacon (or ham)
- 2–3 Serrano chilies (or other medium-hot chilies)
- 2 onions
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 9 cups Basic Chicken Broth
- 1½ cups grated Swiss, Havarti, or Muenster cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds and slimy threads. Quarter it and remove all peel and stalk. Cut the pumpkin flesh into very small pieces.
Chop the bacon (or ham). Remove the seeds from the chilies and mince the flesh. Chop the onions.
In a soup pot, warm the butter and sauté the chopped bacon on medium until almost crisp. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add the pumpkin, chilies, cumin, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
As it cooks, grate the cheese and chop the parsley. Make sure the soup is warmed through but not boiling when you add them.
