Pumpkin Ginger Soup

Yield:

Instructions

Melt the butter with the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, 6 minutes. Add the apple and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and chicken stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the garnish: Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat, turning occasionally for even cooking, until crisp on both sides, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels, reserving the fat in the pan. Increase the heat to medium and add the sage. Cook, turning once, until the leaves are crisp, about 5 seconds per side. Remove immediately from the pan, and crumble the sage and bacon together. Set aside.

Remove the bay leaves from the soup and process in a blender in two batches until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, stir in the cream, and check the seasoning; if needed, add the remaining salt. Serve the hot pumpkin ginger soup in bowls and garnish with the bacon/sage topping.