Pumpkin Pistachio Soup
Ingredients
- 1 small, fresh red chili
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/4 cup whole, shelled California pistachios
- 1 1/2 pounds seeded fresh pumpkin or butternut squash
- 2 shallots
- 2 stalks lemon grass (available in large supermarkets or Asian specialty stores)
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 6 tablespoons light sour cream or crème fraîche
- Fresh cilantro
Directions
Seed and finely chop chili. Melt sugar over low heat in skillet until it is a light-brown caramel color. Add chili and pistachios, and stir to coat. Turn mixture out of pan onto foil or wax paper and let cool. Pare pumpkin or squash and cut into cubes. Peel and chop shallots. Cut lemon grass into 4-inch lengths. Melt butter in large saucepan, add shallots and lemon grass, cover and cook 1 minute. Add cubed pumpkin or squash, stock, pepper and cloves. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Discard lemon grass. Purée pumpkin mixture in food processor or electric blender. Return to saucepan. Whisk in sour cream, heat gently then pour into wide soup bowls. Top with cilantro and caramelized pistachios.
Adapted from the Western Pistachio Association in Fresno
