Making Easy Cold Pumpkin Soup
To many people from the United States, the idea of cold pumpkin soup – a smooth, fantastically delicious treat – sounds a little strange. We are used to only getting pumpkin soup around Thanksgiving, and then it is piping hot. However, there are all kinds of soups made from pumpkin that are popular all over the world, and you should give them a try.
Pumpkin soup is a real taste treat, even if the idea of an orange soup seems a little strange. Many people have never even tried the more common hot pumpkin bisque that is often made for Thanksgiving. However, if you have not had sweet, delicious cold pumpkin soup yet, you are missing out on a really delicious experience.
Serve up pumpkin soup in all kinds of different ways. It can be sipped from mugs, spooned from bowls, cooked right inside the pumpkin or served in a hollowed out pumpkin shell that offers an excellent centerpiece option, as well as being full of a great meal. Top it with a little bit of sweet spice or chopped parsley or onion for a beautiful look.
Pumpkin soups are not just creamy and tasty enough to make you come back for more. They are also packed full of vitamins A and C, iron, fiber and many other important nutrients. You will not feel like you have to virtuously eat your vegetables when you make pumpkin soup, however. Even the kids will love it.
For something a little out of the ordinary, try an Asian inspired easy pumpkin soup recipe with spices, carroy and coconut. It is great in hot weather, when the first pumpkins are appearing at roadside stands, but the temperature has not yet dropped. Of course, for the dog days in midsummer when pumpkins are nowhere to be found, you can use canned or frozen pumpkin instead.
The best kind of pumpkin to use for these soups is a small type, usually referred to as a pie pumpkin. Do not use a jack-o-lantern pumpkin! They are harder, woodier, and less flavorful than their smaller, sweeter, more tender cousins are. Pumpkins can be easily prepared for cooking by slicing them in half, cleaning out the seeds, and cutting them into smaller pieces.
Next, peel your pumpkin and cook the flesh until it is soft, or boil or bake it, then scoop the meat out of the skin once the pieces have cooled off. Either way, compost the parings or use them to make stock, then mash the pulp or put it in the blender.
Savory ingredients like garlic and onion go very well in pumpkin soups. Make them creamy and rich with cream or dairy milk, or soy or coconut milk. Vegetable or chicken broth can be used instead of water in these soups. They add more flavor. Blend the soup partially or completely, depending on the texture you prefer, then chill your soup and serve.
There are many types of pumpkin soup. You can make a sweet pumpkin soup with spices and whipped cream garnish or you can make a savory soup with onions, cream, peppers and other vegetables. Either way, this soup will be a welcome change from the usual soups.
Related posts: