Pumpkin and Chestnut Soup with Balsamic Sauteed Pears
What a wonderful blending of flavors this soup offers. Mildly spice and pleasantly sweet with a hint chestnuts.
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 leek (white and light green parts only (or 1 med. onion)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 med. red kuri pumpkin or 2 butternut squash, de-seeded and cut into large chunks
- 1-2 cup chestnuts, roasted or boiled, peeled
- water to just cover the pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, ground
- 2 dashes cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ginger, ground or 1-inch fresh, grated
- 1 lime or lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
for the Balsamic pears:
- 2 pears, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions:
to make the soup:
- Heat the oil in a large pot.
- Add the sliced leek or onion and saute until glassy.
- Add the pumpkin or butternut squash pieces.
- Chop the roasted peeled chestnuts into large chunks and add to the pumpkin.
- Add enough water to cover the pumpkin and chestnuts.
- Add the salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom,sage leaves and cayenne.
- Bring to a boil and cook until the pumpkin is soft.
- When the pumpkin is soft, puree the soup using an immersion blender.
- Add the maple syrup and lime juice and season to taste with any additional seasoning s you find needed.
- It may be bit on the thick side, if you wish it to be thinner, add more water.
to prepare the pears:
- Heat the oil in a small frying pan.
- Peel and and cut the pears and add to the hot oil.
- Lightly saute the pears, drizzling the balsamic vinegar over the top of the pears.
Serve the soup with pear pieces in the middle.
Notes:
We found this delicious recipe at thedailygreen and slightly adapted so that it was easier to make.