Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Great garnished with bacon maple roasted pumpkin seeds.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 3 1⁄2 lbs  pie pumpkin, halved and seeded
•  olive oil
•  salt
• 3 1⁄2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 1⁄2 large leeks, white part only, thoroughly cleaned, chopped
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh ginger
• 2  teaspoons  minced fresh ginger
• 6  cups  vegetable stock, divided
•  dry sherry
•  white pepper
•  salt
• 3⁄4 cup half-and-half
• 1  pinch ground cloves
•  cinnamon
• 1  pinch nutmeg
•  honey
•  snipped chives
•  roasted  pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400. Place pumpkin cut-side-down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake until easily pierced with a fork, 35-45 minutes. Let cool. Then, scoop the pulp out of the pumpkin. Discard the skin.
2. Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add leeks and ginger. Stir for 5-10 minutes until tender but not browned.
3. Stir in pumpkin with 4 cups of vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes while stirring and breaking up solids with a spoon.
4. Puree until smooth.
5. Return to the pot and stir in remaining vegetable stock, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, half and half, honey and sherry. Heat through.
6. Garnish with chives and seeds.