I found this recipe at epicurious.com but made a few tweaks. It called for pumpkin or butternut squash. I have several butternuts that I harvested back in September, that have been looking very festive sitting on my mantel. It also calls for cilantro, which is very cold hardy, so it withstood last night’s low of 19 degrees, in my garden. I wish I could say that I grew the coconut milk, but it is just too cold here for palm trees.
The recipe called for pealing and cubing the pumpkin and then simmering it in the coconut milk and broth. I find it very hard and time consuming to peel and cube pumpkin, so I baked it first. My one regret was that I did not think to bake the shallots with the pumpkin.
The flavor was amazing. Usually pumpkin soup is something that I enjoy in theory more than reality. I know it is healthy and seasonal, I just never love the soup or look forward to making more. Well not anymore, this soup is great, I hope there are leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
3 to 4 shallots, unpeeled
1 1/2 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash
1 can coconut milk
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 tablespoons Thai fish sauce, or to taste
Generous grindings of black pepper
1/4 cup minced chives
In a heavy skillet, dry-roast the shallots, turning occasionally until softened and blackened. Peel, chop, and set aside.
Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, place cut side down in a shallow baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes at 350, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, allow to cool. With a large spoon scrape the flesh from the skin.
Place the coconut milk, broth, pumpkin, shallots, cilantro leaves and fish sauce in a stock pot and cook till heated through. Taste for salt and add a little more fish sauce if you wish. (The soup can be served immediately, but has even more flavor if left to stand for up to an hour. Reheat just before serving.)
Serve by grinding black pepper over generously, and, if you wish, garnish with a sprinkling of minced chives.
