Pumpkin soup with Gruyère

(serves 10 – 12)

1 pumpkin, 2.5 – 3 kg
1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
6 cups (1.5 l) chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) light (single) cream
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
375 g Gruyère or Swiss cheese, shredded
Salt and white pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives.

1. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out any strings and seeds. With a sturdy knife, cut away the hard peel. Coarsely chop the flesh; you should have about 8 cups (2 kg). (If you would like to serve the soup in the pumpkin shell.)

2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to turn golden, 4 – 5 minutes. Add the stock, chopped pumpkin and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until tender, 15 – 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

3. In small batches, purée the soup in a food mill, a food processor fitted with a metal blade or in a blender, taking care to avoid splattering. Return the purée to the pan and stir in the cream, orange zest, orange and lemon juices, nutmeg and ginger. Reserve a handful of cheese and sprinkle the rest into the soup; stir over low heat until the cheese melts and blends in. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

4. You could serve the soup in one large pumpkin shell or small individual ones: cut off the stem end of the pumpkin. Using a sharp-edged spoon or a melon baller, carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving a shell ½ inch (12 mm) thick.

5. Pour into a warmed tureen shell or individual bowls and garnish with the reserved cheese and the chives and scatter crisp croutons on top.

My Tips:

Tastes even better when instead of croutons garnished with fried mushrooms (best with fried ceps). Can also be served with shrimps.
The soup can be densified if needed with 2 tbsp of corn starch mixed with and dissolved in light cream and then add to the soup.
Less cheese can be used and black pepper for seasoning instead of white pepper.
The serving shell can be also baked before filling it with soup. In this case it has to be smeared with a bit of oil inside and baked at 180 ⁰C for about 30 min (time depends on the size). After baking it should still be a bit firm.