Curried Pumpkin Soup

The kids love this and ask for it often

Curried Pumpkin Soup

1 7-8 lb pumpkin

3  141/2 oz cans chicken broth

2 baking apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

1 carrot, chopped

 2 tsp. grated gingerroot

1 tsp curry powder

 1/2 tsp ground cumin

6 slices bacon

 1/4 cup chopped onion

2 TBSP sugar

1 cup croutons

With a large sharp knife, slice off the top fourth of the pumpkin and set it aside. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Replace the top of the pumpkin.

Place the pumpkin in a 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake in a 375* oven for 50-60 minutes or until you can easily scoop out the pumpkin flesh. (The pumpkin will not be tender at this point.) Cool the pumpkin slightly for easier handling.

Scoop out and reserve the pumpkin flesh, leaving the pumpkin walls abaout 3/4 inch thick. Cut the flesh into chunks (you should have about 4 cups). Do not remove any flesh from the bottom of the shell. Discard the pumpking top.

In a large pot, combine the 4 cups of pumpkin flesh, broth, apples, carrot, gingerroot, curry powder, and cumin. Bring the pot to boiling' reduce heat. cover; simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Cool slightly. Blend or process the mixture, one-third at a time, in a blender or food processor until smooth. Place the pumpkin shell in a 3-quart casserole. (If you'll remove the pumpkin from the casserole before serving, line the casserole with a double thickness of heavy foil to help lift the pumpkin out.) Ladle the soup into the shell. Bake, uncovered, in a 375* oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and drain the bacon, reserving 1 TBSP of the drippings in the skillet.

Cook the onion and sugar in the drippings until the onion is tender. Finely crumble the bacon. Stir the bacon and croutons into the skillet. Sprinkle the bacon mixture over the soup in the pumpkin shell.

Ladle the soup into bowls to serve.

Makes 8-10 side-dish servings (about 8 cups)

I use honey instead of sugar

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