Friday, November 9, 2012

Guest Mary Curry with Pumpkin Soup!


Missy, here. Before I share Mary's guest post, I want to tell you about an exciting event to help raise money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Several authors are donating a 50-page critique, and the highest bidder will win--with proceeds going directly to Samaritan's Purse. I'm one of the authors participating, so I hope you'll bid on me! :) Here's a link to my blog (click here) and to our Facebook event page (click here.)

Now, on to fabulous Mary Curry!

Pumpkin Soup
by Mary Curry 


Last week, I commented on a soup that I made and Missy asked if I would share the recipe.
Sure. I love to share recipes here. The only problem? Well, there wasn’t really a recipe. I kind of made it up as I went along based on flavors that I felt belonged together. I guess that’s sort of the pantser way of cooking. But it’s all good in the end.

I promised I’d try to recreate the soup because it was really delicious and so healthy.

These are the ingredients I started with:
Chicken (or vegetable) broth, canned pumpkin (I used the large can because that’s what I had.), spices (I used Garam Masala, Nutmeg and cinnamon. The Garam Masala has cinnamon but I wanted more!), apples and lentils. 



 Assembling the ingredients and chopping up the apples is really the hardest part! After that it’s just a matter of mixing it all together and letting it simmer.


First I added the broth to my Dutch Oven. I used two of these containers of broth because I wanted enough soup to have lunch all week. Feel free to adjust or use a combo of broth and water. I used chicken broth this time because it’s what I had on hand, but last time I used vegetable broth. Either works fine.

I dumped in a whole bunch of the spices after that. Sorry I can’t give measurements, I just shook – a lot. Less on the nutmeg because it has a stronger flavor. You can adjust the spices when it gets to the tasting stage so for now, go with less if you don’t like spicy.



Next comes the pumpkin.


 Share some with the cute dog if he’s hanging out at your feet.




Note – if the cat thinks the dog is getting treats, he’ll show up too. But he doesn’t want pumpkin.




Good thing I’m cooking for myself. The Board of Health wouldn’t be liking these animals in the kitchen.



Next I peeled and cut up apples. You probably could do it without peeling, but I peeled.
I had a bunch of apples that were starting to go soft so I used about six, but it doesn’t have to be that many. I think I only used three last time. Go with your feelings about apples. For me, you can’t go wrong with lots of apples.


Simmer awhile.
See how specific this is? It really depends on how close you are to wanting to eat. The longer you simmer, the thicker and richer it gets. When you’re about half an hour or so away from wanting to eat. add the rinsed lentils. They absorb a lot of the liquid so this is where you want to check to make sure you don’t have pumpkin apple stew. Add liquid as needed or leave it alone if you like the idea of stew.



I had some pumpkin seeds in the cupboard so I toasted them to sprinkle on top. They added a nice crunch when I was eating.
Enjoy!


The first time I made this I added apple cider for flavor. I left that out this time since I had so many apples.

Hint – the soup tastes really good with the oatmeal cranberry walnut scone I picked up at the farmer’s market.

Warning: Did you know that pumpkin seeds have a certain effect on you? I didn’t and I wondered why … (how do we say this delicately?) Ah, they give you an overactive bladder.
But they’re good for you and they taste good!








21 comments:

  1. awww cute doggy! soup looks good but I've tried a couple of recipes with pumpkin and just couldn't get used to the pumpkin - one was a chile and I'm still remembering that fiasco! still this does sound good so might have to give it another try...plus Ihave 2 cute doggies to be in the kitchen with me! :-)
    Susanna

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Susanna.

      I was never a fan of pumpkin other than in bread, but my daughter has been cooking a lot with it so I tried this and liked it. I'm not sure you'd like it if you don't like pumpkin, but the rest of the soup would probably taste good without it too. Sort of an apple lentil soup.

      Delete
  2. We loved the dog shot, too! My daughter and I were oohing and ahhing over him. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awwww thanks, Missy. We love him.

      And just an aside - not to take anything away from that wonderful fundraiser you mentioned -

      We adopted him from North Shore Animal Shelter 4 years ago. They are in an area that was hit really badly by Sandy. They are in need of donations, but even if you just want to read heartwarming stories about wonderful people rescuing pets, check out their website and FB page.
      http://www.animalleague.org/rescue/pet-rescue-programs/emergency-rescue/hurricane-sandy.html


      This story - guarantee you need tissues. http://www.animalleague.org/rescue/pet-rescue-programs/emergency-rescue/hurricane-sandy/faithful-friends.html

      Delete
    2. Mary, thanks for sharing that link. I'll be sure to check it out. I'm sure I'll be bawling!

      Delete
  3. OHHHHHH, YUM!!!!! I love this recipe. And your pets are adorable!

    And we've been eating pumpkin seeds like crazy and enver noticed the side effects. But we don't have to wait for a break to use the restroom. And live with toddlers who go every 5 minutes. Well all probably just looked like toddlers.

    And I love garam masala. I amde a chicken dish with it one time and my hubby looked at it and said, "Ugh, what is this?

    My daughter said, without looking up from her yummy dish, "Garam masala. Means 'husband no taste the poison'."

    heehee! So whenever I see it I smile a little. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Virginia, I love that girl!

      Note to self: find more Garam Masala recipes for Virginia!

      Yeah - being a teacher doesn't mix well with eating pumpkin seeds. They don't really negotiate bathroom breaks into our contracts. Guess that's why I notice these kinds of things.

      Delete
    2. That's so funny, Virginia!!! How old is she??? Sounds wise for her years. :)

      Delete
    3. She 12, but has always had that really dry sense of humor. I mean, kids are funny, but to be able to say it with a straight face... just kills me. I don't know why it's always funnier that way!

      Delete
    4. How cute. She must be a smart girl!

      Delete
  4. Look at the sweet pupply,such a good boy, look at that face....must stop myself.

    Oh, I love the lentil addition and the apples. Thanks for the warning about the pumpkin seeds.

    My recipes only have chicken broth and cream. This soup is so much healthier!

    Peace, Julie



    Thanks, Julie

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Everything about your post was a shade of yellow or orange! interesting. You are So Good, Mary!
    I made pumpkin soup this week. Trial method. I threw in curry powder and cooked red lentils, but mine also had shredded potato and carrot. I use veg stock too. I might throw some Garam Masala in at this point, or just cinnamon. I love experimenting with soup.

    thanks ladies!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Am I the only one who has never heard of Garam Masala? Maybe I'm a bit too far off the beaten path...

    Of course, if I ask my Food-Channel-Watching daughter, she'd be able to tell me all about it :)

    That's a delicious looking soup, Mary! The blend of apples and pumpkin sounds perfect.

    And, of course, the animals fit right in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely on Food Network! Aarti on Aarti Party uses it all the time! :)

      Delete
  8. I love Virginia's daughter THIS MUCH.

    She is truly an apple from the proper tree....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, when I crack a joke I smile really big and wait for the laughs. Not as funny.

      A few days ago I said I was tired.

      She shrugged. "I'm okay. I feel pretty good. But I feel like whenever I hear someone say, 'Isabel, can you-' RAWRRRRRR!'" And she turns in the middle of her sentence with an open-mouthed, wide-eyed, teeth-bared, claws-out, I'm-going-to-eat-you yowl.

      I laughed so hard! Golly. She scared me and it was funny.

      Delete
    2. Bet it woke you up from feeling sleepy too!

      Delete
  9. This looks MARVELOUS!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oooh -- late by a day but I'm lovin' the look of this vegetarian friendly recipe! I love making soup but I'm not very adventurous. I'm hosting a soup-a-thon tomorrow and so far we're making three -- lentil, minestrone and corn chowder -- but me thinks we have to add in a fourth. I'm not very adventurous when I cook so this will be a daring move on my part.

    Love the doggy and the kitty -- but the doggy has that 'feed me, I'm starving look down to perfection. Who could resist?

    :-)

    ReplyDelete