This recipe is
living proof that
delicious does not necessarily mean
complicated. My mother makes a killer
pumpkin soup, as does my
dad's girlfriend, as does my chef cousin. Their recipes include some complicated stuff (well, relative to this recipe, anyway), and so do similar soup recipes here on E2. And yet all three agree that my soup ranks up there among
the greatest pumpkin and sweet potato soups of all. Until I tell them how I made it. Then they
scoffaw. But inside, they are
writhing in shame that they slave over their complicated recipes and yet my elegantly simple and simply elegant recipe kicks oh-so-much-ass.
Ingredients
The last two are optional because they are just
garnish, basically. However they elevate the taste by about 20 levels, they are simple additions, and they make the dish much more attractive, which is an important part of the
culinary experience. What I am saying is don't skip on them.
Preparation
Take as much pumpkin and sweet potato as you wish, and in whichever proportions you want. I use half and half, but you can use anywhere from 0% to 100% pumpkin, depending on what proportion you want the flavour to be. Peel the pumpkin and sweet potato. Dice them small, and cook them in a pot until they are
soft and mushy. Pour out most of the water, but leave a little in. Now take the whole mixture to the
blender, and blend it quite well, though don't take all the
chunkiness out.
Add pepper and salt. This is the key. Don't be stingy on the pepper. It has to be slightly hot. This will make the soup much more sophisticated.
Pour into bowls. Pour a blob of creme fraiche into the middle and garnish with parsely. This has to be the easiest soup in the world.