Anyway, this soup uses molasses, the safer, liquid alternative to brown sugar. So I feel comfortable making it. You probably will too, unless you were in Boston for the Great Molasses Flood of 1919, in which case you might want to avoid all sugar products. But I hope you weren’t, because this soup is delicious. Although, I might only feel like that because it is a vehicle for blue cheese and bacon. I’m not sure how I would feel about it if it didn’t have those two components. So let me rephrase that: this soup is a delicious vehicle for blue cheese and bacon. And if you’ve had a leftover can of pumpkin in your cupboard since the great iron chef duke pumpkin challenge, and you also have 15 minutes to spare, why not make it?
Pumpkin Soup with Bacon and Blue Cheese
Serves 2.
- 1 can 100% pumpkin puree
- 2 c. chicken stock
- 1/2 c. half and half
- 3 TBS molasses
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. allspice
- 1/4 tsp. ginger
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
- 2 slices bacon, diced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/3 c. blue cheese crumbles
- In a medium pot, heat pumpkin, chicken stock, half and half, molasses, and spices until simmering gently. Allow to cook for around 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
- In a large frying pan, fry bacon pieces until beginning to brown. Add minced shallot and cook until both bacon and shallot are browned.
- Serve soup hot, topped with the bacon shallot mixture and blue cheese crumbles.
Dining and Cooking