PUMPKIN SOUP WITH BACON

This one’s a family favorite for the holidays

3 1/2 pound sugar or pie pumpkin or 1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cans pumpkin puree (6 cups)* 1/8 teaspoon allspice

6 slices bacon diced 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion 2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup white wine

1 bay leaf 1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon thyme Garnishes: bacon, pumpkin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon pepper whole cream, chopped parsley,

1/2 teaspoon sugar snipped chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke pumpkin with a skewer in 6 or 8 places. Set pumpkin on a parchment-lined baking pan. Bake for one hour, or until a

skewer easily pierces the flesh. Remove from oven. Set aside until cool enough to handle, at least one hour. Cut pumpkin in half. Scoop out the seeds and strings. Using a large utility spoon, scrape pumpkin flesh into a

food processor or blender. Process in batches until smooth. You should have about 6 cups of pumpkin puree. (*Or omit this fun step and use canned

pumpkin.)

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and drain on

paper towels.

Add onion to bacon fat. Cook over medium high heat for one minute, then add the butter and aromatics. Sauté 30 seconds to release flavor oils. Add

pumpkin puree, broth and wine. Simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Add 1/2 cup water. Simmer for 10 minutes more.

To serve, ladle about a cup of soup into a shallow bowl. Drizzle heavy cream over serving of soup. Sprinkle with reserved bacon, chopped parsley, snipped chives and pumpkin seeds.

MAKES 8-10 SERVINGS.