Fall Soup: Pumpkin, Sage and Almond Delight

Back at it with another soup recipe. I bought this magazine and every dish is amazing. So, stay tuned for more. I hope you like it! Today is a full on fall soup. It has pumpkin sage and almond in it. This combo is heavenly! You won’t be able to get over the power play it will have on your taste buds. I promise you will need take this to your family gathering for Thanksgiving.

Last week, I wrote up (from Cooking Light) Miso Bisque and thought it was done to perfection my first time. This soup will take a fraction of the time (unless you make it all from scratch the way I did) and is perfect for a midweek meal.

My recommendation is to double it. You’ll thank me later. Between me and myself, we could have eaten every last bit…and yes, I licked the bowl and spoon…behind Navy and Aaron’s back, of course. You won’t blame me after you try this.

Pumpkin Soup with Almonds and Sage

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (I always use salted)
• 3 fresh sage leaves
• 1 chopped onion (I used half of one)
• 3/4 cup unsalted, roasted blanched almonds, divided into 1/4 and 1/2
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 can (15 oz) of pumpkin puree (I cooked a real pumpkin, more below)
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper (I used whole, that’s what I had on had)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Fall soup directions

First off, I am all about using the freshest ingredients. I found organic pumpkin at my local Central Market to help make this fall soup the best for Navy. Cut it up and steamed it. Then using a blender blended it, well. No salt or extra ingredients or preservatives needed. Cutting up the pumpkin was a beast. How do people carve these things?

Using a dutch pan (but any deep one will do. You will want to make sure the mixture down the way doesn’t stick) add butter, onions and sage leaves. Cook for about 8 min with the lid on, medium to high heat. You want the onions to brown.

Chop up 1/4 cup of almonds and set aside. In another bowl whisk together, flour and 1/4 chicken stock. Mix in the other 1/2 of almond to the bowl and mix well. Pour mix to pan. Add 2 3/4 cups of chicken stock and stir. Then add pumpkin, salt onion and if you want, pepper. Bring to a full boil and then reduce heat to a soft simmer. for about 5 min. This is where you want to make sure you are stirring so that it doesn’t stick to the pan.

Once you’re all done with those steps, add your mixture to a blender. Like with the miso bisque, you’ll want to remove the center part of the blenders lid. Put a clean towel over it. This allows the steam to release but keeps it hot. Blend well, about 2 min should be just fine.

Serve with that original 1/4 cup of almonds as a garnish on top of this delicious fall soup. There you have it. A soup that takes hardly anytime but will have you slappin’ yo mama. (HAHA)

Serves about 4 (or one if you’re like me). Next time I make this I’m serving it with baked salmon. Mmmmm….