Pumpkin Soup Perfect PairingsSoupMerlot This recipe was shared with us from a restaurant by Bravo TV’s Top Chef Stefan Richter. – Serves 8 – Ingredients: 1 whole pumpkin 1 onion 2 garlic cloves 1 tsp. allspice 1 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. sugar 4 quarts chicken stock 1 quart of cream 2 bay leaves 1 cup of AVV Chardonnay Salt & pepper to taste Method of Preparation: Peel and skin the pumpkin – cut in half and remove the seeds. Cut into small chunks. Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces. Over medium heat in a large pan, sweat/sauté the onion and garlic. Add the pumpkin chunks to pan and roast the mixture for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with AVV Chardonnay, scraping the pan to release all the tasty bits. Add the chicken stock, spices, sugar and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cook until the pumpkin chunks are tender, then add the cream and bring to a boil. Blend with either an immersion blender or by pouring the mixture into a blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then strain the soup through a fine strainer. Serve while hot and enjoy with a glass of 2010 Alexander Valley Vineyards Estate Merlot.
