Simple Recipe for Pumpkin Soup with Smoked Salmon

Rather than being a fishy soup, this is a wholesome flavored recipe for pumpkin soup and the smoked salmon makes a decorative garnish, as well as giving plenty of wonderful flavor and being a nice contrast to the soup itself.

This pumpkin soup recipe is flavored with sage, garlic and a bay leaf, keeping the flavors simple. This soup can be made in advance, without the salmon or arugula, and gently reheated one or two days later. This is a light, flavorful, and delicious classic pumpkin soup which serves four people as an entree or six as an appetizer.

The pumpkin for this pumpkin soup recipes, as well as for a lot of other recipes for creamy pumpkin soups, is gently roasted in the oven to bring out the juices before it is added to the soup. You can use a combination of pumpkin and butternut squash if you prefer but the pumpkin gives the soup a sweeter flavor and a brighter color.

Pumpkin Soup with Smoked Salmon and White Wine

Ingredients:

For the Roast Pumpkin:

• 2 pumpkins, 1 ½ lbs each
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 unpeeled garlic cloves
• 10 sage leaves
• Salt
• Black pepper

For the Soup:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 7 cups water
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon dark sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• Smoked salmon
• Arugula, for garnish
• Pumpkinseed oil (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cut the pumpkins in half and scoop out the stringy mass and seeds. Season the inside with the salt and pepper and rub the olive oil over the pumpkin flesh. Put the garlic cloves in the cavity where the seeds were. Put the pumpkin cut side down on a baking tray and scatter the sage leaves around it. Drizzle some more olive oil over the top and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender but not yet mushy.
3. Peel it and chop it into 1 inch pieces. Peel the garlic and set it aside.
4. Melt the oil and butter in a heavy pan over a medium low heat. Add the onions and some salt and cook until the onions are tender, stirring occasionally. This will take about 15 minutes.
5. Add the pumpkin, sugar, garlic, wine, 6 cups of the water and a bay leaf. Turn the heat up and bring the pumpkin soup to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer the soup for 20 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook it for another minute.
6. Let the soup cool for 10 minutes, and then remove the bay leaf.
7. Puree it in batches until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pot and add some water if it is too thick.
8. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve in bowls, topped with some strips of smoked salmon and arugula.
9. Drizzle some pumpkinseed oil over the soup if you want to, just before serving.

(Serves 4)

This creamy orange colored soup is wonderful for any occasion. The smoked salmon on top is a simple yet elegant touch and makes a change from pumpkin seeds or a dollop of cream. The pumpkin soup recipe is kept quite simple, so as not to overpower the flavor of the fish. A sprig of arugula or parsley is all that is needed to make this a stunning looking soup and you could also add a drizzle of pumpkinseed oil if you like, for a very elegant and classic pumpkin soup.