Pumpkin Leek Soup
List of Ingredients
when television producer Bill Bell bought the Old Howard Hughes estate in the hills above Hollywood, I created this seasonal dish for the housewarming party. I served the soup in mini-pumpkins. This recipe takes a little patience to prepare, but is well worth the effort."
1 medium pumpkin (about 6 lbs.)
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
2 large leeks, chopped
2 quarts chicken broth, warmed
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Johnny Ciao's Country Herbs (or 1 tsp. rosemary and 1 tsp. sage)
2 limes, zested and juiced
1/2 cup sour cream
Recipe
Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Cut the pumpkin in half and remove strings and seeds. Place in a baking dish, cut sides down, and cover bottom of pan with water. Bake 45 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Let pumpkin stand until cool enough to handle and scrape pumpkin flesh fron shell with a spoon to make about 6 cups.
Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and bake about 3 minutes or until slightly browned. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add leeks and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 10 minutes, then remove from heat. In a deep stockpot, heat the remaining chicken broth over low heat.
In a blender or food processor, puree the pumpkin flesh in small batches, slowly adding the hot chicken broth to liquefy. Return blended pumpkin flesh to the stockpot and stir. Then add the sauteed leek mixture, wine, salt, and the Johnny Ciao's Country Herbs. Simmer slowly for an additional 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the lime juice and sour cream. Drizzle this mixture over soup in bowls, then sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and lime zest for garnish.
Makes 8 to 12 servings
Johnny Ciao, "Johnny Ciao's Koncert Kitchen"
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