Pumpkin cream soup

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 800 g pumpkin(s), Hokkaido
• 150 ml white wine, dry or semi-dry (Riesling Spätlese)
• 500 ml water
• 400 ml vegetable stock, poultry or beef stock
• 30 g butter, clarified butter
• 40 g onion(s), finely diced
• ½ tsp powdered sugar
• 2 peaches (vineyard peaches), washed and pitted
• 4 slice(s) ginger, cut into thin slices 2mm wide
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• ½ tsp smoked salt, or table salt
• 1 chili pepper(s), without seeds (4 narrow strips 2mm wide, cut across the pod)
• some black pepper, freshly ground
• some sea salt (fleur de sel)
• ½ tsp spice mix (Baharat)
• n. B. Chives, cut into fine rolls
• 8 tbsp sweet cream, whipped (without sugar)

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

like a scent from 1001 Nights

Wash the pumpkin, remove only the stem, and cut it in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and core and cut into small pieces. Sprinkle the finely diced onion with powdered sugar and sauté in the hot butter (or until light brown). Deglaze with the white wine. Add the pumpkin and smoked salt and top up with water. Add the ginger, chili strips, crushed garlic clove, and peaches and simmer over low heat for about 30-40 minutes. Then puree thoroughly with a hand blender or similar and add the stock. Strain everything through a sieve. For a Far Eastern flair/aroma, season the soup with baharat (spice mix) and season with salt and pepper if desired. Now whip the cream (or sugar) until stiff. Serve the soup in bowls, sprinkle with chives, and garnish with a little whipped cream. Non-vegetarians can also find the perfect recipe for this soup garnish here at CK: deep-fried salmon and potato dumplings. Tip: Because the pumpkin is round, it’s not easy to handle. If you fill a shallow bowl or soup plate with breadcrumbs about two fingers high, then cover it with a piece of kitchen paper, you’ll have a stable base for the pumpkin!