Pureed Pumpkin Soup with Sugared Walnuts - Recipe 17

PUREED PUMPKIN SOUP WITH SUGARED WALNUTS

This luxurious soup is easy to make and a crowd pleaser. For a different way to serve it, cut the tops off and hollow out small pumpkins, ladle in the soup and put the tops back on as lids.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
3 tablespoons flour
6 cups pureed pumpkin
12 cups chicken broth
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup half and half or non dairy creamer
1/4 cup dry sherry


Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes more. Add the pumpkin, chicken broth, sugar, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and cook the soup, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.

Allow the soup to cool down to warm temperature before pouring it in batches into the pitcher of a blender or bowl of a food processor. Blend or process until smooth.

Return the soup to the pot, add the half and half, and sherry and heat over medium heat until very hot. Season to taste with salt abd pepper and serve sprinkled with sugared walnuts (recipe below).
Makes 8 servings

SUGARED WALNUTS

1 pound walnut halves or pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg white
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, toss nuts with egg white until well coated. Add remaining ingredients and toss well to coat nuts. Spread the nuts in a single layer in the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden. Allow to cool completely before removing the nuts from the tray with a spatula. Makes 1 pound