Pumpkin-Coconut Soup

 

This is the kind of soup that you serve in a mug, not a bowl, because you'll just want to guzzle it down.  Really.  It's really that good.  I'm posting it, even though my nighttime lighting is really not suitable for fussy food-blog photography.  But I've gotta share.  

As usual, I riffed this off a take on another person's blog.  That recipe had brown sugar, and a fairly long list of spices.  I'm in a keeping-it-simple mood these days, so I made up my own recipe.  The true genius is in the garnish:  dried cherries along with the expected pepitas.  The heat from the garlic and smoked paprika is balanced so nicely with just a few cherries.  If only I could get them to float better!

Tomorrow I'm making a side casserole of cheesy grits that will make a filling lunch alongside this soup! 

Pumpkin-Coconut Soup

1/2 Medium Diced Onion or to taste
3 Cloves Minced Garlic or to taste
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
32 Fl. Oz. Vegetable Stock
29 oz. Canned Plain Pumpkin
2 14 oz Cans Light Coconut Milk
1/4 C. Real Maple Syrup
1 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika
1/4 Tsp Ground Sage
Garnish

1.  Heat olive oil in bottom of large stock pot.  Cook onions and garlic until aromatic and tender.  Onions should be translucent.

2.  Add veggie stock.  Whisk canned pumpkin, then coconut milk, into the liquid.  Add paprika and sage.  Turn heat to medium and bring to simmer.

3.  Add maple syrup in thin stream, stirring constantly.

4.  Reduce to desired consistency (I like my soups thick and creamy).

5.  Ladle and garnish with pepitas, dried cherries, and a sprinkling of goat cheese, if desired.  Beware:  Cherries may sink if whole, so you may want to dice them up a bit.  This soup is great served as cold leftovers too!