The Great Pumpkin Experiment- Wild Rice and Pumpkin Soup, Baked in a Pumpkin

(I have updated this recipe; scroll all the way down past the photos. I am sorry I don't have a jump-to-recipe button. I don't know how to put one in.)

I love pie pumpkin season. I make a bunch of pumpkin puree and put it in my freezer. Today I went to the store with Piglet, and we got three pie pumpkins/sugar pumpkins. I made puree with two of them, and one of them I made this soup with/in. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it was GOOD. The pumpkin tasted a little bit like a cross between acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash in this soup. (In other words, it tasted like squash- well, it is, isn't it???) Both the older girls liked, not loved the soup- they did say the pumpkin tasted like spaghetti squash. Pixie girl wasn't as convinced; she actually wasn't hungry because I let her snack before dinner. I had to keep trying to give her bites- three- before she started eating a little. The presentation is fun but in the end a 4-pound pumpkin is a bit much. It would be great if we were having company. 

Notes for next time:

Cube the pumpkin and sauté or roast it in butter with the onions and garlic, and make it in a pot. This was fun but it took way too much time and effort to bake in the pumpkin.

 Add a sprig of rosemary, or to change it up, curry powder and coconut milk. 

Pre-cook the rice!  I didn't boil the rice, but I should have, it would have cooked faster for me. 

 

GPAC Wild Rice and Pumpkin Soup

4 pound pie pumpkin
Sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup rice- I used wild rice and a short grain rice
3 cups broth or water
1 cup milk
Shredded chicken- optional, I just had some in the fridge.

Notes
- you can use all broth and just serve this with a splash of cream in each bowl, I think I might like that better
- 3 1/2 cups of broth and 1/2 cup coconut milk with curry seasonings would be a good flavor combination
- I served it with Parmesan cheese on top
- make this in a pot, saute the pumpkin, garlic and onions in a pot. Add the broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil, add rice and cook until the rice is tender. Add cream or milk in the end.
-shallots would be a great flavor instead of onions
- leftover rice would be OK to use also
- I knew I wouldn't have enough broth in the pumpkin so I had some warm and ready to add to our bowls.

The humble pie pumpkin... how I love thee, let me count the ways- In- breads, rolls, muffins, cakes, cheesecakes, rolls, pumpkin butter, pies, milk shakes, pumpkin cream cheeses, frosting's, cookies, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, soups, baked, broiled, steamed YUM, YUM, YUM. I puffy heart pumpkin.



Wash the pumpkin, cut off the top and scoop out the insides. Save the seeds for roasting!

Rub the inside with 2 tablespoons of  butter. Salt and pepper the inside.

 Saute the onion, rice, and garlic in the remaining butter. Add the broth and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil for about 5-10 minutes.
And the herbs.

Pour the broth and rice mixture into the pumpkin. Leave room for the rice to fluff up.
If there isn't enough room take some rice and broth out. Cook it in the pot and reserve it for dinner!
If you're using chicken, add it too.

Loosely cover the pumpkin with foil. Place it in a pie dish.
Bake for 2-2 1/2 hours until the pumpkin is tender and the rice is cooked.

All done! When dishing this up scoop out some pumpkin as you serve it!
And see the note about having extra broth on hand...
Notes.  Bring to a boil, add rice and cook until the rice is tender. Add cream or milk in the end.
-shallots would be a great flavor instead of onions
- Leftover rice would be OK to use also, it will cut cooking time down
- I knew I wouldn't have enough broth in the pumpkin so I had some warm and ready to add to our bowls.

GPAC Wild Rice and Pumpkin Soup (In a pot)

1 pound cubed Pie Pumpkin

1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
4 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon 
1/2 cup rice- I used wild rice and a short grain rice
6 cups broth
1/2 cup cream
Shredded chicken- optional; I just had some in the fridge.

1. Wash the pumpkin, cut off the top and scoop out the insides. Cube the pumpkin into 1-inch pieces.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. This will give it color and caramelize the outside.Save the seeds for roasting!
2. Sauté the onion, rice, and garlic in the butter. Add the broth and roasted pumpkin. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. 
3. And the herbs and adjust seasoning to taste.
4. Once rice is cooked and the chicken is tender, stir in the cream.
5. If you're using chicken, add before serving.

Notes
- 5 cups of broth and 1/2 cup coconut milk with curry seasonings would be a good flavor combination
- I served it with Parmesan cheese on top

Thank you for being here. Have a blessed day.