Pumpkin Soup With Ancho and Apple

Chances are the contents of that can of pumpkin purée you may be using for pie, soup, biscuits, custard, ice cream or bread came from Illinois. It’s the state that produces the most pumpkin for canning. This vibrant soup, from the chef Rick Bayless, an owner of Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago, is inspired by Mexico, where pumpkin is as typical an ingredient as the pepitas, ancho chile, canela and crema that are also in the recipe. His original calls for fresh squash or pumpkin — about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled, seeded, cut in chunks and added to the pot with the apple. But Mr. Bayless was amenable to adapting his recipe for canned purée, paying homage to Illinois.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
• 1 medium onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed, seeded and torn in small strips
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, preferably Mexican canela
• 3 cups plain canned pumpkin (about 1 1/2 cans)
• Salt to taste
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup Mexican crema, or crème fraîche, mascarpone or sour cream

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    209 calories; 13 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 20 milligrams cholesterol; 20 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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6 to 8 servings

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Add half the pepitas and the onion and cook, stirring, on medium heat, until the onion is golden and the pepitas have started to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the chile pieces, cook a minute or two, then add the apple, black pepper, cinnamon and pumpkin.
2. Stir in 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the remaining pepitas on medium heat and set aside.
3. Pureé the soup in a blender. (You will need two shifts.) Return the soup to saucepan and season with salt and the sugar. Serve the soup in warm bowls with a dollop of crema and a sprinkling of toasted pepitas on top.

1 hour