Soupe de Potiron (Pumpkin Soup)

(Exotic) Pumpkin/Squash Soup

The rare times when I make Pumpkin Soup, I usually use a simple classic French recipe from Paul Bocuse. Last evening, I made a Couscous with grilled lambchops and precious Merguez imported from France and since there were lovely organic pumpkins on sale at Esselunga, I also bought one to add to the dish. This is to say that I had pumpkin leftover today and naturally that would either go towards making a pumpkin puree or a pumpkin soup.

The pumpkin and other vegetables that went into the Couscous

But I also had nice lemongrass-scented broth leftover from the Sup Ikan Merah and that gave me the idea to make an Exotic Pumpkin Soup with it.

Cooked Pumpkin

Paul Bocuse's Soupe de Potiron recipe (for 6) :

1 small Pumpkin (around 2kgs)
200 g thick Cream
500 ml Chicken stock
Salt, pepper, nutmeg
10 croûtons
A few Chervil/Cerfeuil leaves
Trim the top off the pumpkin like a hat.

Carve out the flesh delicately without piercing the skin. Remove the seeds and cut the flesh into pieces.

Steam or boil the pumpkin pieces for 20 minutes.

Mix the cooked pumpkin pieces, adding in hot chicken stock bit by bit.

Pour everything into a pot and add the cream. Take care to mix well, add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Bring the soup to a brief boil on medium heat.

Pour the soup in the empty pumpkin shell. Garnish with croutons and the chervil leaves.

I didn't buy a 2kg pumpkin and I wouldn't carve any pumpkin just for the decoration anyway. But I chopped up my small pumpkin, made a Couscous with it and whatever is leftover I heated it up with my leftover lemongrass broth, mixed everything, added a touch of cream and olive oil and ate it up. It was good, but I still only like pumpkin/squash soup in small doses.