Spicy Pumpkin Soup With Mexican Cream And Toasted Pepitas

Mexican cream:

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  
• Soup:
  
• 8 mini-pumpkins, cleaned and baked cut-side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet in a preheated 350-degree oven for 40 minutes or until tender
  
• 3 tablespoons butter
  
• 3 cups finely chopped onions
  
• 1 1/2 15-ounce cans solid-pack pumpkin
  
• 1 cup whole milk or light cream
  
• 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  
• 4 cups canned chicken broth
  
• 3/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted

Whisk whipping cream, sour cream and lime juice in small bowl. Cover; chill 2 hours. (Mexican cream can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.) Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Mix in pumpkin, milk and crushed red pepper. Working in batches, puree mixture in processor. Return to pot. Add broth; simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

To serve, place a baked mini-pumpkin shell, its lid leaning against it, in a wide soup bowl. Fill shell with soup. Ladle more into the bowl around it. Garnish with a swirl of Mexican cream and pepitas, crunchy, green, hulled pumpkin seeds sold at Whole Foods, raw or already toasted and salted.

Serves 6 to 8.

Bon AppZetit

Thursday, October 30, 2003

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