Pumpkin Soup — Simple & Savory

[donotprint]Canned pumpkin is pure and nutritious. It needs a flavor boost though. So to make this yummy soup I added a bit of onion, garlic and rosemary, plus a generous splash of Angostura aromatic bitters.  Other pumpkin ideas: The best pumpkin pie ever (Rosie says it’s the only way she’ll bake pumpkin pie now!). It’s my close adaptation of the classic recipe on the Libby’s canned pumpkin label, with the addition of Angostura of course. It’s pumpkin pie heaven — really.  More pumpkin ideas:  Try Angostura orange bitters in pumpkin bread, pumpkin custard, flan or crème brûlée. Start with 1 teaspoon, then add more to suit your taste.[/donotprint]

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Pumpkin Soup

Makes 4 servings (1-1/4 cup each)     Prep time 10 minutes  Cook time 15 minutes

3        Tbsp. butter
1         medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2         cloves garlic, sliced
1/2      tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1         can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin
4         cups (32 oz.) chicken broth or vegetable broth
1         Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1-1/2  tsp. Angostura aromatic bitters
Dash nutmeg (optional)
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Fresh-ground pepper

Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan. Add onion, garlic and rosemary. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until onion is limp and lightly browned. Stir in pumpkin, broth, sugar, Angostura bitters, and if desired, nutmeg; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use an immersion blender to puree soup in the pan, or transfer in batches to a blender container. Season with salt to taste. Serve garnished with cheese and ground pepper.

Kitchen Notes:
–  Recipe may be doubled. Use a 6-quart pot, and one 29 oz. can pumpkin or two 15 oz. cans.
–  Experiment! Try 1 cup coconut milk in place of 1 cup broth, and about 1/2 tsp. curry powder instead of rosemary.

Nutrition information per serving without cheese: 174 calories, 9.4g fat (5.7g sat fat), 23mg cholesterol, 2.9g protein, 17.3g carbohydrate, 1011mg sodium, 3.6g fiber

An original recipe and photo by Rita Held for Angostura USA