Recipes
Ginger Pumpkin Soup
Contemporary Resort

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2- to 3-pound pumpkin, peeled, seeded and diced into 3/4 -inch pieces
1/2 cup brandy
1 1/4 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree 4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon each: minced fresh ginger and white wine
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

Method of Preparation:

1. Sweat shallots in oil until translucent. Add pumpkin and sweat until fork tender. Add brandy and let cook until reduced in volume by half. Add broth and pumpkin puree; simmer 30 minutes.

2. Puree minced ginger and combine with wine; set aside. Puree soup with hand-held blender. Adjust to desired consistency with more broth or water.

3. Thirty minutes before serving, add couple of teaspoons of ginger and wine combination, cinnamon and nutmeg to reach desired flavor. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with a drizzle of mascarpone cheese on top.

Recipe note: Adding the ginger too early or using the powder form can result in a spicier soup. With dry ginger, the soup gets a more peppery flavor the longer it cooks.