Farmer John's Pumpkin Soup

Approximately 10 to 12 Servings

Ingredients:

• 6-8 Cups cooked Pumpkin* from:
  2 Sugar Pie Pumpkins or 1 Sugar Pie and 1 Green/Jade, or
  1 Cinderella and 1 Red Kobacha
• 4 Tbsp. Butter
• 2 Leek, cleaned and chopped
• 1/2 lg. Onion, chopped
• 4 Carrots, peeled and sliced coarsely
• 2 Stalks Celery, cleaned & coarsely cut
• 1 clove Garlic, smashed
• 16 Cups Chicken Stock
• 1" fresh ginger (put in tea strainer)
• 2 Green Apples, peeled and cored
• 1 Tbsp. Sage
• 1/2 Cup Apple Cider
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 pinch Allspice
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh Chopped Parsley
• Lemon Crème Frache or Sour Cream with Lemon zest

*Pumpkin Prep: Cut pumpkins in half, clean out, and bake with 1" water in covered pan at 350¾ for approx. 1 hour (until tender to fork), or wash, peel and seed the pumpkins and roast in the oven for about an hour at 350¾. Each method will impart a different flavor and slightly different texture.

Slightly saute chopped leek, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in butter, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to boil. Turn to simmer, then add pumpkin, ginger, apples and sage. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring when needed.

Then add the cider, cinnamon and allspice along with the salt and pepper. Taste before adding the salt, as some chicken stocks are saltier than others. Let all the ingredients meld. Adjust seasonings to your taste.

Purée all except the ginger. Serve in heated soup bowls. Once served, put a dollop of either lemon crème frache or sour cream mixed with some fresh lemon zest.