Pumpkin soup

[cape chef]

I have a couple of pumpkins hanging around,so I decided to make a soup with them.

I make it by first roasting them a bit to develope some flavor,then use some carrots,rutabaga,turnip,leeks,shallots and garlic.

I sweat these veggies in brown butter,add a bouget garni of sage,cinnamon stick,whole clove and laural..deglaze with some armanac,add stock and simmer,then scoop the roasted pumpkin and add it to the broth,season with S&P and when everythings nice and tender I puree it.

I like a crisp saute of wild shrooms to adorn the soup (I don't have any though) so i'll fry some sage leaves for garnish.

Do any of you make pumpkin soup?

If so how? do you use butternut squash in yours?

[shroomgirl]

Yep.....so what kinda stock do you use? And man I have some shrooms....all fresh....black trumpets, chanterelles, hen of the woods (cultivated and wild), han shimiji, shiitake, pom poms, Incurable Epicureans had a Thai dinner last night that was berefit of shrooms so I included a bunch for the newbies to try.

So my soup is butternut squash, and yellow onions sauteed in alittle olive oil, salt and then water to the level of the squash....cover simmer until tender, puree then run through a china cap. silk and true squash flavor.....I like chanterelles on top and serve it with guyere/dillweed biscuits. It is a standard on my menus. Got it from Daniel Bouloud's kitchen via The Crossing....

[Peachcreek]

A local farmer gave me a selection of pumpkins and squashes for soup. Thursday I made Hubbard squash with leeks that was very good. Autumn soup was a variation of a pumpkin soup. I find that any fine-grained squash makes for an excellent soup. I just thought up my next squash soup- Banana squash with roasted garlic, red pepper and lemon. Should be good.....And as for butternut squash? Use it like any other, although I think it has a much more refined flavor than pumpkin.

[cape chef]

Shroom,

I use either vegetable or chicken stocks.

I like the biscut idea,allthough dillweed is pretty much over and done with here in New England. Had some pretty heavy frosts latley.

Peachcreek, I'm glad you chimmed in....you are after all the soup mister

I love using blue hubbard for soups. I look forward to reading about the banana squash soup finished with the lemon,it sounds interesting.

[Peachcreek]

This just popped into my head, haven't tried it yet, but it seems like it should work.
Another use for squash-
Squash crusted pheasant breast with leeks and ginger.
Make a squash crust out of grated raw squash, a little corn flour, a tiny amt of sugar, salt, lemon zest, and egg. Make squash lattices in bottom of large non-stick saute pan, till lightly brown and still pliable.
Pound pheasant breasts till tender, rub with dry ginger, salt and pepper, brown in oil till rare, remove, add julienned leeks and a little fresh ginger zest, fresh garlic, and saute till clear. Finish with splash of madiera or sherry and lemon juice. Arrange pheasant and leeks on crust, fold and put seamed side down, finish in hot oven till cooked through. Now all that is needed is a sauce.