Pumpkin Soup with Chili Cran-Apple Relish

Pumpkin Soup with Chili Cran-Apple Relish

Katerina Kocurek - Chicago, IL

AND

Audrey Quealy - Minneapolis, MN

This happens to be the most fantastic pumpkin soup in existence! (Katerina)

Makes about 8 servings (first course), 4 servings (entree)nocoupons
Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan

2 tablespoons butter

1 fresh bay leaf

2 ribs celery with greens, finely chopped (save time and purchase celery already washed, trimmed and cut into sticks, this makes chopping fast work)

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning or 2 teaspoons ground thyme

2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste

6 cups chicken stock

1 (28-ounce) can cooked pumpkin puree

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg nocoupons

Relish:

1 crisp apple, such as McIntosh or Granny Smith, finely chopped

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cooking Instructions

Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium high heat. Add the oil and melt the butter. Add bay, celery, and onion. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook 6 or 7 minutes, until tender. Add flour, poultry seasoning and hot sauce, to taste, then cook flour a minute. Whisk in chicken stock and bring liquid to a bubble. Whisk in pumpkin in large spoonfuls to incorporate it into the broth. Simmer soup 10 minutes to thicken a bit then add in cream and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

While soup cooks, assemble the relish: combine apple, onion, lemon juice, cranberries, chili powder, honey and cinnamon.

Serving

Adjust seasonings in soup and relish and serve soup in shallow bowls with a few spoonfuls of relish.