Musical pairing – Blindsided by Bon Iver
In the crush of finals week, I practically forgot a very important aspect of the end of the school year: moving back home. The last day of my semester arrived (unseasonably cold and sodden) and still all of my books were on their shelves, my desk drawers were still stuffed with papers and pens, my closet still stuffed with clothes. In a one-night whirlwind, I swept everything into some semblance of organization, though admittedly in a less stream-lined way than was probably possible. With the help of two of my friends, my roommate, and my dad, everything was carted down to the car the next day, I turned in my room key, and home we drove.
It’s still a little surreal to be home– really home, for the whole summer. I’ve spent the vast majority of the past few days just unpacking, and uncovered some interesting artifacts in the process. Like a can of pureed pumpkin that at some point in the school year found its way into my possession and never got used. Thanksgiving– and even autumn– long past, I decided I should use the pumpkin anyway, and make it the prompt for my first cooking adventure of the summer.
And so, pumpkin soup! I found a recipe on AllRecipes.com and went from there, adapting along the way to fit the ingredients actually in my pantry. A perfect easy soup to make whilst unpacking, I was also surprised by how natural it seemed to be cooking with pumpkin in May, even though pumpkin is coded as being “fall-only.” I say, reclaim pumpkin! The cheery orange is the perfect thing for fitting in with all the blooming and blossoming going on, and the flavor really is delicious all year round.
The final recipe looked something like this:
PUMPKIN SOUP
Inspired by Allrecipes.com
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 15 oz can of pureed pumpkin
- 2 -2/3 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon curry
- 3 whole peppercorns
METHOD:
- Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, cilantro, garlic, curry and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.
- Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.
- Return to pot, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Enjoy your summer! I once had the best pumpkin soup while on vacation in a balmy place. It was perfect. Perfect enough for me to remember to this day.
What better soup than pumpkin to make you feel welcome and at home 🙂 Love your variations!
That does look delicious. And I agree, let’s enjoy whatever we like whenever we want it. I’ve been known to make chili in the middle of summer even 🙂
I fully support chili in the summer!
What a lovely soup! I can eat soup all year round!
Welcome home! There is nothing better than coming home after a hard semester. And this soup looks so delicious. This is making me hungry, my dear! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Such bright and beautiful flavors in this soup! I can just imagine how each bite would pack a powerful punch. Looks lovely!
Nice to have a bit of a break, eh? And this soup suggests it will be a good-eating one!
Looks delish! I love that this recipe is all savory–not a hint of pumpkin-pie-ishness.
This looks so comforting and homey. Love it!!