Pumpkin (Squash), Leek, Bean and Bacon Soup

"I was tired of the pumpkin and leek staring at me -- asking me to do something with them -- so I did this. A recipe card from the green grocer gave me a few hints, but I consider this to be my recipe. It's a great warmer in winter, and not too bad served at room temperature. The ingredient amounts are forgiving, so don't be afraid to be flexible. If you want a vegetarian result, omit the bacon and use vegetable stock. Cream can also be omitted. The chili flakes make the dish. *Note: If you can get tinned/canned pumpkin, you can use three 15-ounce tins to replace the chopped pumpkin. If you do this, you can add the tinned pumpkin when you add the cream."
 
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photo by christie
photo by Queen Dana photo by Queen Dana
photo by Julie Bs Hive photo by Julie Bs Hive
photo by Sonya01 photo by Sonya01
photo by Sonya01 photo by Sonya01
Ready In:
50mins
Ingredients:
17
Serves:
8
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ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 200 -250 g bacon, diced and lightly fried
  • 1 large leek, white and light green parts, trimmed, rinsed and sliced (about 250 grams)
  • 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
  • 2 -3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 14 kg butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped (squash)
  • 7 cups chicken stock (or vegetable)
  • 1 (400 g) can lima beans, drained and rinsed (butter, or cannellini)
  • 2 pinches dried tarragon leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
  • 14 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes
  • 14 cup parsley (chopped)
  • 12 - 1 cup whipping cream (optional)
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • sour cream (to garnish)
  • parsley (to garnish) or coriander (cilantro, to garnish)
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directions

  • Heat oil in a dutch oven or large, deep saucepan that can hold all the ingredients.
  • Lightly fry the chopped bacon. Remove and set aside. If the bacon has released a lot of fat, drain off as much as you wish.
  • Reheat the remaining oil/bacon fat. Add sliced leek and onion and crushed garlic, and saute until tender.
  • Add chopped pumpkin and saute for five minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add stock, beans, bacon, tarragon, thyme and chili flakes.
  • Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork tender.
  • Add 1/4 cup parsley.
  • Zap the cooked mixture with a stab blender or buzz up in a food processor. Or crush with a potato masher. The choice depends on your consistency preferences.
  • Stir in cream (if used), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently.
  • Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and additional parsley or coriander (cilantro).

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Reviews

  1. Very nice starting point for a soup. I can attest to the forgiving nature of the recipe. I used 3 large leeks (and even included lots of the darker green parts because they do have nice flavor, the dark green looks great in this soup, and because they aren't too tough after a good simmer). I used extra garlic, less stock, and skipped the beans altogether because I didn't think we would like that texture with the thicker type of soup. I used turkey pepperoni slices in place of bacon, and used 2 cans (didn't have a 3rd) of pumpkin rather than the squash--partly for convenience, but also because I've found that pumpkin strikes me as less sweet than the other orange/yellow squashes and I prefer that. I had no tarragon, so used extra thyme and added some sage, as well as plenty of pepper. I did not use the cream and we did not miss it. I served it with some parmesan cheese and fresh bread and salad. It had great flavors that both contrasted from each other and worked well together, and I also really enjoyed the leftovers in my lunch. To top it all off, it was quick and easy to toss together and allows you to do other stuff during the simmer.
     
  2. This soup went down so smooth. Great with a nice piece of bread. Like said in other reviews I used cannelini bean instead of the lima (never been a big fan). This was VERY tasty and I will make this again. Made and reviewed for Recipe Swap #24 Jan.'08
     
  3. So good! I used banana squash, no tarragon, no leeks but a large white and a large yellow onion, which I cooked up in the pan with the bacon and dried garlic while I microwaved the squash so it would be done faster. I put a half cup of flour in the pan with the bacon when the bacon and onions were done and cooked it up for a minute, then made sure the stock and cream were hot when I dumped them in so the fIour would make a roux and not be gluey. Substituted garbanzo beans for the white beans because that's what I had. I used an immersion blender at the end to blend it.
     
  4. This soup was great! Both DH and I really enjoyed. I will certainly be making this again.
     
  5. Wow, we loved this soup. I followed the recipe, using cannellini beans, but left out the last 5 ingredients. So easy to make & with fabulous results. I made it a couple of days ahead for our dinner last night. Great for an easy meal on a cool autumn night. Thanks Peggy for sharing this winner.
     
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Tweaks

  1. So good! I used banana squash, no tarragon, no leeks but a large white and a large yellow onion, which I cooked up in the pan with the bacon and dried garlic while I microwaved the squash so it would be done faster. I put a half cup of flour in the pan with the bacon when the bacon and onions were done and cooked it up for a minute, then made sure the stock and cream were hot when I dumped them in so the fIour would make a roux and not be gluey. Substituted garbanzo beans for the white beans because that's what I had. I used an immersion blender at the end to blend it.
     
  2. Very nice starting point for a soup. I can attest to the forgiving nature of the recipe. I used 3 large leeks (and even included lots of the darker green parts because they do have nice flavor, the dark green looks great in this soup, and because they aren't too tough after a good simmer). I used extra garlic, less stock, and skipped the beans altogether because I didn't think we would like that texture with the thicker type of soup. I used turkey pepperoni slices in place of bacon, and used 2 cans (didn't have a 3rd) of pumpkin rather than the squash--partly for convenience, but also because I've found that pumpkin strikes me as less sweet than the other orange/yellow squashes and I prefer that. I had no tarragon, so used extra thyme and added some sage, as well as plenty of pepper. I did not use the cream and we did not miss it. I served it with some parmesan cheese and fresh bread and salad. It had great flavors that both contrasted from each other and worked well together, and I also really enjoyed the leftovers in my lunch. To top it all off, it was quick and easy to toss together and allows you to do other stuff during the simmer.
     
  3. Excellent recipe. I was very surprised at how fresh it tasted. I used vegetable stock instead of chicken, didn't have any tarragon leaves and omitted the cream. I garnished with parsley and croutons. I tried this when warm and tried it again after it had been in the fridge for a couple of hours. As the days are very hot here at the moment I thought I'd give it a try cold. Who said soups should be served hot!!!!! This was delicious chilled also.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Thanks so much for visiting my page.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I love to cook and travel.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I'm originally from Nebraksa and now live in Australia. Have also been lucky enough to live in Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Burma.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Since the beginning of 2009, hubby and I have visited all seven continents. We've cooked and travelled in Africa and Antarctica, from London across Asia to Sydney, around Australia, around South America, and across India, Europe, Canada and the USA. Most of our travels have been by road and we've covered more than 150,000 kilometres. It's been fun to learn about food and recipes from all over the globe, and most of the souvenirs I bring home are cookbooks.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>If you're interested in seeing some of our trip and menu highlights, please visit my travel blog at http://leggypeggy.com or my food blog at http://cookingonpage32.wordpress.com</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Thanks also to everyone who has made, reviewed and/or photographed any of my recipes. Most appreciated.</p>
 
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