Pumpkin and Fresh Goat Cheese Soup in Pumpkin Shell

I love this recipe sent to me by a market friend.  It reminds me of Jamaica, where I first tasted  pumpkin soup with nutmeg and ginger, but it’s also a wonderfully hearty soup meant for cold, wintery nights. Serves 4.

• 2-3 lbs. sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, & cut in 1” pieces

• 3 cloves elephant garlic, roughly chopped

• 2” piece, fresh ginger roughly chopped

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped

• 1 qt.  chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 c. heavy cream

• 12 leaves fresh sage

• 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only

• Salt & pepper to taste

• grating of nutmeg

• 8 oz. Capriole fresh goat cheese

• ¼ c.  olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Roast pumpkin, onions, and garlic in a heavy roasting pan with a little olive oil. In a heavy soup pot, place the roasted items and turn to medium heat. Add most (three quarters) of the chicken stock and simmer for up to 45 minutes, until fully cooked. Place in a food processor and blend until smooth. Blend in small amounts of the cheese along with the cream if desired. Adjust thickness with leftover stock. Add more cream if desired and finish seasoning with basil, salt, and pepper. Serve hot, with fresh, warm pretzels or your favorite country bread.

To serve in a whole baby pumpkin: Cut off the top evenly and remove insides until smooth. Trim bottom so it sits level. Lightly season inside of the pumpkin with salt and pepper. Bake in a warm oven to heat the flesh through, but do not fully bake. Remove from oven and pour in hot soup. Garnish on under liner with warmed herbs.