Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Smoked Paprika

Ingredients

• 4-5 pounds of cooking pumpkins, or 3 cans of pumpkin purée
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped, about 2 cups
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 to 3 teaspoons smoked paprika, more or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 large tart green apple peeled, cored, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Handful of toasted pepitas for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Halve the pumpkin, then scrape away the seeds and fibrous center; an ice cream scoop is handy here. Place the cut sides down on a baking sheet lined with foil or silicone, then roast until tender, about 45 min to an hour.
2. Once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, take off the skin and spoon out the cooked flesh. Measure out 6 cups roasted pumpkin for the soup, and freeze any extra for another time.
3. Save the seeds rather than tossing them; toasted, they make a healthy snack. In a 4-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they soften, about 4 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute more. Add the smoked paprika, ground cumin, and cayenne, then continue stirring for a minute more.
5. Add the chopped apple, pumpkin, broth, water, thyme, and ground sage. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, set the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the apple is tender all the way through.
6. In batches, ladle the soup into a blender or food processor, secure the lid, and blend until completely smooth. You can also purée it right in the pot with an immersion blender. For an even silkier soup, run the blended mixture through a food mill.
7. Set the soup back in the saucepan over low heat. Pour in the milk and cream gradually, stirring as they go in. Taste, then adjust with more salt or seasoning if it needs it. Since unsalted homemade stock is used, about 2 teaspoons of salt is added to this soup.
8. To serve, top with toasted pepitas, which are shelled pumpkin seeds, and a small dusting of smoked paprika. The soup may be prepared a day ahead. Refrigerate leftovers for about a week, or freeze for up to three months.