PUMPKIN SOUP

Contributed by Patti Shumway

• 2 small pumpkins, about 2 lbs. Each
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 cloves garlic, peel and chopped fine
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced, seeds discarded
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 2 lbs. Chicken thighs or wings
• Vegetable oil
• 1 cup cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Bake the ham hock and chicken in a 350° oven. Remove the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the skin. Pour off the drippings and deglaze the baking pan. Separate the fat from the drippings. Discard the fat and preserve the drippings. 

Core the pumpkin and remove the seeds. Clean the seeds by floating them in a bowl of water. Let seeds dry.

Peel the pumpkin by partially cooking sections in the microwave to soften the skin. Preserve any pumpkin drippings for the soup. Dice the partially cooked pumpkin.

In a large pot brown the onions and garlic in the vegetable oil. Add the diced pumpkin, chicken and vegetable stocks, drippings, diced jalapeno pepper, chicken bones, and ham hock. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours.

Remove the ham hock and chicken bones. Add the reserved chicken meat, if you desire. Simmer the soup until somewhat smooth while you toast the pumpkin seeds.

Toss the dry pumpkin seeds in a little olive oil, salt lightly, and bake in a 350° oven until toasted, stirring every five minutes (about 20 minutes).

Add 1/2 cup heavy cream to the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. 

Serves 8-10.