White Pumpkin Soup
Updated February 23, 2016 
Serves6 to 8
CostModerate
Total Timeunder 2 hours
Make Ahead RecipeYes
Kid FriendlyYes
One Pot MealYes
Recipe Coursehot appetizer, main course
Dietary Considerationhealthy, high fiber
Five Ingredients or LessYes
Mealdinner, lunch
Moodfestive
Taste and Texturefruity, savory, sweet
Type of Dishhot soup
Ingredients
- 1 large white pumpkin or orange pumpkin (5 to 6 pounds)
- 1 small orange pumpkin
- 2½ quarts Chicken Stock
- 1 whole chicken breast
- ½ pound fresh speckled butter beans, fava beans, or lima beans, shelled
- 6 fresh cornichons, halved, or 1 small Kirby cucumber, cut into 2-inch julienne
- 8 ears baby sweet corn, husked
- 1 medium-size hot red frying pepper-stemmed, seeded, deveined, and cut into julienne
- 1 small yellow bell pepper-stemmed, seeded, deveined, and cut into julienne
- 1 ripe yellow tomato-peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped with juices reserved
- 1 ripe red tomato-peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped with juices reserved
- 3 scallions, including some of the green, cut into 2-inch julienne
- 1 medium-firm ripe peach, peeled and cut into eighths
- 3 Seckle pears, thinly sliced
- 3 fresh figs, cut into ¼ inch slices
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
Instructions
-
The tureen: Cut a round “lid” in the top of the large pumpkin. The stem will serve as the “handle.” Scoop out the seeds and loose fiber. Return the “lid” and set aside.
-
The soup: Seed the smaller pumpkin and dice the flesh into ½-inch cubes. Measure out 1 cup of flesh and reserve the remainder for another use. Remove the outer skin; reserve. In a large kettle, bring 1 quart of the chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, add the chicken breast and simmer until cooked through. Removed with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
-
When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat. Skim off any foam from the top of the stock. Bring the stock back to a mild boil and cook the butter beans until almost tender. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and reserve. Bring the stock back to a mild boil and cook the butter beans until almost tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
-
Pour the remaining ½ quart chicken stock into a large pot. Strain the poaching stock through a fine mesh sieve into the large pot of stock. Bring the stock to a light boil and add the cornichons, baby corn, peppers, and tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the scallions, the reserved beans, pumpkin, fruits, and shredded chicken and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
-
Check for seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the soup into the pumpkin tureen and serve.
Christopher Idone
