To most people, pumpkin means pie, a limited role for a large vegetable that is nearly ubiquitous from Labor Day through Christmas. But to Debra Ponzek, the chef and owner of Aux Delices, a takeout and catering shop in Greenwich, Conn., pumpkin means soup.
And soup based on pumpkin–or other winter squash such as acorn or butternut–is a minimalist’s dream, a luxuriously creamy dish that requires only two main ingredients, a blender and a stove.
Ponzek, the heralded former chef of the three-star restaurant Montrachet in New York City, said she uses top ingredients and tries to “get the most out them.”
“And I’ve always loved soup,” she said. “It’s easy, it’s fun, you get to cook with what’s in season, and it can be fast.”
The soup here is all of those things and, despite its simplicity, delicious. To make it, combine peeled, cubed pumpkin or other winter squash with two or three cups of any good stock or canned broth. Simmer until it is soft, about 30 minutes. Puree it in a blender and reheat, with or without seasonings or garnish. That’s it. (If time allows, cool it before pureeing, for safety’s sake. Puree hot liquid can cause it to erupt from the machine.)
If there is a challenge, it lies in peeling. The frequent mistake is to attack the squash with a standard vegetable peeler. Quicker and more reliable is to cut the squash into wedges, then rest each section on a cutting board and use a sharp, heavy knife to cut the peel. You’ll take part of the flesh with it, but given the large size and small cost of winter squash, this is hardly a concern.
Ideas for garnishes
Here are some ways to garnish or vary pumpkin or squash soups.
– Add 1 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger to the simmering soup.
– Add 1 teaspoon curry powder (and if you have it, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric) to the simmering soup.
– Add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and 1 small grating nutmeg to the simmering soup.
– Serve soup with peeled apples slices that have been lightly browned in butter.
– Garnish each bowl soup with 3 or 4 grilled, sauteed, steamed or roasted shrimp, or use crab meat or lobster meat.
– Cook about 1 cup sliced mushrooms in butter or oil, and add them as a garnish. Chanterelles are best, but shiitakes (discard the stems) or button mushrooms also are good.
– Dice about 1 cup of the squash (you will almost always have extra, especially with pumpkin) into 1/4-inch cubes, steam until tender, and use as a garnish.
– Garnish soup with chopped chervil, chives, parsley or dill.
– Stir 2 tablespoons to 1 cup creme fraiche, fresh cream, sour cream or yogurt into pureed soup as you reheat it.
– Stir about 1 cup cooked long-grain rice into pureed soup as you reheat it.
