Recipe: Pumpkin Soup

1 Cut the pumpkin flesh into large cubes. In a thick-bottomed pot, melt the butter, add the pumpkin cubes, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

2 Sweat gently covered for 15 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, coat the onion rings with flour and fry them in oil in a pan until golden brown. Place them on absorbent paper and arrange them in a circle on a nice dish.

4 Moisten the pumpkin puree with milk (or chicken stock). When it resumes boiling, cook for 20 minutes on low heat, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.

5 Once the soup is cooked, pour the diluted starch into the cold milk, whisk immediately, bring to a boil, and remove from heat. Blend the soup for about 15 seconds with a knob of fresh butter.

6 You can strain the soup through a fine sieve, but it's not mandatory. Adjust the seasoning and serve in a beautiful soup tureen.

The finishing touch is crucial. Place on the table a dish of fried onions and another of lardons (you can also add small croutons sautéed in butter). Explain to your guests how to add onion rings and lardons to their soup plate. The three flavors (pumpkin, onion, and smoked bacon) seem to form a harmonious blend under the palate.

You can also transform this pumpkin cream into a more "trendy" soup by replacing the pumpkin with "Butternut" squash or Potimarron. While losing a bit of color, the taste remains excellent.