This week’s soup is one of my favorites which I turn to at least a few times each fall/winter season for three reasons: it’s easy to make, is simply delicious, and like your favorite jeans, is comfy yet easily dressed up. Yes, I’m straying from the challenge a little – you know, make new soup/stew recipes – but hubby was wanted something homey and known, so out came ‘old blue jeans’.

My idea of a small pumpkin
Ingredients:
1 small pumpkin (skinned, cleaned, & roughly chopped)
1 onion (minced)
1 bell pepper (minced)
4 cloves garlic (pressed)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 or 4 cups vegetable/chicken broth OR vegetable/chicken bouillon and 3-4 cups hot water
½ cup cream/milk
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon paprika
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt, black/white pepper, pepper flakes (to taste)
Method:
In a large heavy pot, heat oil on a medium heat; then saute onions and bell peppers until soft. Add spices (not garlic!*), cook for 3 or so minutes. Add pumpkin chunks and saute until slightly soft. Introduce tomato paste and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to combine. Add broth or bouillon/ hot water mixture and bring to a boil. Add garlic, cover pot, and lower heat to a simmer for 20 minutes or until pumpkin are completely cooked.
Remove soup from heat and puree.** Pour the cream/milk into a bowl and temper*** it by adding a ladle or two or two of the pureed soup. Pour milky mixture into soup and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning to palate. Makes about 4 or so appetizer servings.

My smooth, silky masterpiece - creamy pumpkin soup with spicy grilled shrimp and pepper flakes!
From here, depending on whom I’m serving, I play around with textures and tastes. This time I added spicy, grilled shrimp and extra pepper flakes. On other occassions, a sprinkle of truffle oil, garlic oil, pumpkin seed oil, creme fraiche, sour creme, grilled chicken slices, spicy grilled scallops, or just a sprinkle of black pepper, oregano, thyme, or basil. It’s really up to you!
Malzeit!
* garlic burns easily and tastes bitter when it does; add it when there’s less chance of it burning.
** Puree: to liquify solids – a regular blender or immersion blender work just as well, the immersion blender is just easier to use. If using a regular blender, pour away from yourself. Note: you can burn yourself with either method so take especial care!
***Temper: to cool dairy ingredients to a warm temperature slowly to prevent curdling.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
About A Bahamian In Austria
I am a Bahamian woman, married to an Austrian man, who's been freshly transplanted to Vienna. I started writing this blog when a dear friend insisted that I had to write down my experiences. At best it'll update my buddies on my crazy-going-ons and at least, it'll keep me from stalking them online (LOL). I hope you enjoy :D
Great pictures! Love your blog.
Thanks MJ, really appreciate your comment!
Yum! I made one today too! With the new blender 🙂
Yay – immersion blenders! LOL, great tool. Just don’t use it to whip mashed potatoes, lol – mine came out like glue!
Hehe, no I won’t, will use my “Stampfer” (Stomper, there’s a german vocabulary for you 😉 for that. Sometimes oldschool is better 🙂
LOL, Stampfer – really?! LOL, thanks. Yup, sometimes old is better…but stampfer?! LOL! Love it!
Wow Creamy Pumpkin Soup it is great!!!!!! I could not find your recipe for the spicy grilled shrimp I used my own but would love to try yours.
God Bless You,
James Farrar
Cleveland, Ohio USA
Hi James, thanks for reading and commenting – God bless you and yours as well.
My spicy grilled shrimp is pretty simple – marinate defrosted/deveined/shelled shrimp in lemon/line juice with soy sauce, fresh crushed black pepper, pepper flakes, and a few drops of your preferred hot sauce for about 10-15 minutes. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (high heat) and grill shrimp until they turn pink. I don’t pat the marinade off the shrimp before I put them in the pan as I want it to ‘blacken’ on the shrimp. Hope you enjoy – Mahlzeit!