Fresh pumpkin is roasted with onion and shiitake mushrooms until tender and sweet, then pureed to make a creamy soup. Vegetarian and vegan friendly.
Ingredients:
2 3/4 pounds sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 onion, peeled and quartered through the stem
2 large shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps wiped clean
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 cup olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
5 cups vegetable stock
Garnish: toasted pumpkin seeds
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut pumpkin into 2-inch pieces. Combine pumpkin, onion, mushrooms, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Add oil and 2 teaspoons salt, toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until pumpkin is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 minutes, rotating pan and tossing vegetables halfway through. Let cool, then remove skins.
Transfer vegetables to a medium saucepan; heat over medium. Pour in 2 cups stock; puree with an immersion blender until smooth. With the blender running, slowly add remaining 3 cups stock, and puree until smooth. Bring soup just to a simmer. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. Serves 4.