Roasted Garlic and Baked Pumpkin Soup

By CorbettCook

Ingredients

• 1 – 1 lb pumpkin (approx size)
• 1/3 cup grated gruyere cheese
• 1 slice grilled baguette “crouton”, diced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated pepper
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup cream
• chicken stock to fill
• 1 tbsp. butter, cubed
• 1/2 head roasted garlic clove or to taste

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Cut the top off of pumpkin and hollow out, removing all seeds and veins. Layer ingredients in following order inside pumpkin: half the gruyere, diced croutons, salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme, other half of the gruyere. Pour in cream then fill to about ¾ full with chicken stock. Dot with the butter. Replace pumpkin top.

Bake on rimmed cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 45 minutes until pumpkin is soft. You may need to adjust cooking time depending on size of pumpkin. Start checking after about 45 minutes. If pumpkin begins to leak you know it’s done but try not to get it to that point as it can then get a bit messy. Let cool slightly.

Pour cream/stock mixture from pumpkin into a saucepan and scoop out baked flesh. Add it to saucepan. Add roasted garlic. Puree with hand blender until smooth. (Alternately, you can put everything into a stand up blender and puree.) Adjust seasonings. Serve with a dollop of slightly whipped cream mixed with a little ground cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Garnish with chives.
Roasted Garlic
Cut off the top of one head of garlic. Place in a pie plate or any small oven proof dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour until fragrant and soft. Remove cloves when cooled. (Use leftover cloves with brie cheese wedges on toasted baguettes slices for another snack)