Maple Roasted Pumpkin & Walnut

I created this soup during the fall when squashes were everywhere. I wanted to make a vegetarian soup, so I decided to make a roasted pumpkin soup, but I used walnuts to give depth to the base. I toasted them, and added carrots to the to give a deep base that highlights the rich pumpkin flavor while keeping it light.

I used a pie pumpkin, less hollow than a carving pumpkin, and with more meat on the inside. I roasted the pumpkin with my Avenue Spice, spiced vinegar, and some of oil. From there I split the cooked pumpkin in two, then cooked half of it with the walnuts and carrots for the main soup.

I reserved the other half of the roasted pumpkin to add later, knowing that I would loose any texture by pureeing the cooked soup. Additionally, I garnished the soup with a walnut and currant relish, which helped add a crunch to this velvety rich soup.

This is a simple soup to make, that really highlights the season, and the flavor of the pumpkin itself. As always, feel free to change it to your liking,

Enjoy.

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Ingredients

• pumpkin, cut, rind removed, seeded 1 ea, 4 1/4 lbs

• carrots, sliced 10 ea

• onions, sliced 2 ea

• water 4 qt

• vegetable base 3 T

• hot sauce to taste

• maple syrup 1/4 cup

• spiced vinegar* 3 T

• Avenue Spice 2 T

• black garlic powder** 2 tsp

• walnuts, toasted 10 oz

• extra virgin olive oil 3 T

• salt and pepper in to taste

*feel free to swap out any vinegar you like for this, I use a cane based chili infused one for added flavor

**I have been making black garlic recently, and because of this I have been adding it to a lot of soups and dishes. Feel free and substitute garlic powder. It will be different, but still an acceptable replacement

Garnish

chives, candied walnut & currant relish

Method of Procedure

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place your walnuts on a sheet tray. Toast for about 15 minutes

2. Start cooking your soup by sauteing your onions to get a little color then adding your toasted walnuts.

3. Next add your sliced carrots and cook while stirring for about 5-10 minutes just to blend everything properly.

4. Add your black garlic powder and vegetable base, then stir to coat your ingredients as evenly as possible.

5. Add your water and bring to a quick boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook while preparing the rest of the soup.

6. Clean and dice your pumpkin and toss with vinegar, olive oil, and Avenue Spice. Roast in the oven until tender, around 20 minutes.

7. Once roasted place half your pumpkin into your soup. Add your vinegar, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and Avenue Spice to taste, then cook for an additional 40 minutes until everything is softened.

8. Run you soup through a blender to puree.

9. Dice the remaining pumpkin and add to the blended soup.

10. Season to taste and serve with candied walnut & currant relish.