Spicy Pumpkin and Carrot Soup
Hearty and flavorful soup with pumpkin, carrots, onions, garlic, and bacon, seasoned with curry powder and other spices. Pureed until smooth and creamy, garnished with a swirl of cream and a sprinkling of chives.
Hearty and flavorful soup with pumpkin, carrots, onions, garlic, and bacon, seasoned with curry powder and other spices. Pureed until smooth and creamy, garnished with a swirl of cream and a sprinkling of chives.
- 1 onion, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 rasher rindless bacon finely chopped
- 1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/2 butternut pumpkin seeded and peeled
- 1 potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 6 cups of chicken stock (i only use 5 cups as i like it a bit thicker)
- 1/2 cup milk or cream (i sometimes leave this out, and it still tastes good!)
- extra cream
- chives
- Carbohydrate 2.52010051476691 g
- Cholesterol 19.8280749720253 mg
- Fat 8.50200339220607 g
- Fiber 0.0323333328564962 g
- Protein 1.63079599776203 g
- Saturated Fat 3.98919366620965 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (57g)
- Sodium 22.09098397801 mg
- Sugar 2.48776718191041 g
- Trans Fat 0.422205987388729 g
- Calories 91 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oil in a large saucepan. Saute onion, bacon and garlic until onion is tender. Add curry powder. Saute for 1 minute
- Stir in pumpkin, potato and carrot. Cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes
- Pour over stock. Stir in seasonings. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.
- Puree in the saucepan with a hand blender or simply mash with a potato masher. Stir in milk.
- Reheat gently, stirring. Serve with a swirl of cream and a sprinkling of chives.
Adapting the Base Ratio
Replacing the chicken stock with vegetable broth fundamentally alters the body of the soup because animal gelatins contribute natural viscosity that water-based stocks lack. When scaling this recipe to serve twelve instead of six, do not simply double the liquid proportionally. Reduce the stock by fifteen percent to prevent a watery consistency, since larger volumes of vegetables release more cellular water during the 25-minute simmer.Building Flavor Through Heat
Blooming curry powder in hot oil for exactly sixty seconds activates fat-soluble aromatic compounds before the liquid enters the pan. Crushed garlic burns at high temperatures, so maintain medium-low heat during the initial onion and bacon sauté phase to prevent bitter flavors from developing. Stir the cubed pumpkin, potato, and carrot continuously for two to three minutes to coat every surface in the spiced fat before pouring in the stock.Achieving Emulsion and Texture
Using an immersion blender directly in the saucepan saves cleanup time, but blending requires care to avoid scalding splashes. Process the mixture until the surface appears completely glossy, which indicates that the starches from the potato have fully emulsified with the fats from the milk and bacon. Reheat the blended soup gently over low heat, ensuring the temperature does not exceed 185 degrees Fahrenheit once dairy is incorporated to prevent curdling.
