Chipotle Pumpkin Soup

Last pumpkin post...for a little bit at least.  I have quite an assortment of squashes begging to be cooked up. 

This one's another savory recipe....and it feels pretty rich and decadent while eating it.  I actually felt guilty after  finishing up my bowl and then realized I'd just eaten a pretty healthy bowl of pumpkin, veggies and broth.  It's based on the idea of the much-loved butternut soup classic, but with some southwestern flavors and heat.

Yes, tomatillos.

Actually roast the onions at the same time but I didn't add them to the photo. 

For the pumpkin I chose the kabocha below which is one of my all time favorite squashes/pumpkins.  I think kabocha is a general term for pumpkin in japanese, but it's been a really, really long time since I studied japanese.  Regardless, I love the flavor and its availability pretty much all year long at the asian market. Slice it into pieces without removing the rind, toss with coconut oil, salt and pepper and roast.  It is so fantastic that Brooklyn and I fight over the cold leftovers straight from the fridge. 

For this recipe though, the pumpkin needs to be peeled and chopped.  Not the most fun activity, but so worth the effort.  Add a box (or 2 14 oz cans) of chicken broth and cook until the pumpkin is tender(about 15 mins). 

I realized after I took the whole food processor step that it was unnecessary as I was going to blitz the entire soup with my stick blender.  

Add the chipotle,  tomatillos, tomatoes, onions and garlic to the cooked pumpkin and broth and then use a stick blender to puree.  

Serve with yogurt, avocados and some tortillas on the side--I love these Trader Joes Veggie Flaxseed tortillas.  Croutons or thick crusty bread would also be fantastic.

And since I've been on a "short version/long version" of the past few recipes, I'll continue.  I'm guessing you could do a short version of the soup with 2 cups of canned pumpkin puree instead of using fresh pumpkin.  Add it to the broth and the roasted vegetables, puree and cook for 10 minutes.

Chipotle Pumpkin Soup

2 lb kabocha pumpkin (or any pie pumpkin)

1 lb tomatillos

1/2 lb tomatoes

1 head of garlic, top cut off

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1-2 canned chipotles plus sauce

salt and pepper to taste

avocado (optional)

Chips or bread for serving

1. Turn oven to broiler setting and set rack to middle row of oven.
2. Cut tomatillos and tomatoes in half and place on baking sheet.  Add onions and garlic and drizzle with olive oil.  Roast on middle rack for 10 minutes
3. Peel and cut pumpkin into 1/2 inch cubes. Add chicken broth and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until pumpkin is fork tender
4. Add roasted tomatillos, tomatoes (should slip out of their skins), and onions to pumpkin pan   Squeeze individual garlic cloves out and add along with 1-2 chipotles and 1 tbsp sauce. (I used two and it was pretty spicy) 
5. Puree with stick blender until smooth
6. Turn heat down to medium low and cook 10 mins to warm through and allow flavors to meld
7. Serve with tortilla chips, plain yogurt and avocado.