Pumpkin Tureen Soup

From the 1998 Pumpkin Patch of Recipes -Pick a pumpkin with a low, squat profile so that it will fit in your oven and hold lots of soup. Be sure it has a flat bottom and can sit politely in a pan without rolling over.

… 7-8 pound pumpkin (sugar pumpkin, if possible - see Tips)

… 4 tablespoons butter, melted

… salt and freshly ground pepper

… 1 cup white portion of leeks, minced

… 1/2 cup carrots, minced

… 1/2 cup celery, minced

… 4 cups beef broth (or half beef, half vegetable broth for a milder soup)

… 1 cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (or canned, diced tomatoes)

… 2 tablespoons farina (Cream of Wheat will do)

… one bay leaf

Garnish:

… sour cream (optional)

… chives, minced (optional)

Preheat oven to 400ƒ Fahrenheit.

Cut a lid from pumpkin leaving the stem on as a handle. Clean it out. Brush 2 tablespoons of the melted butter on the pumpkin's interior and the underside of the lid. Then, sprinkle interior with salt and pepper. Replace lid and place pumpkin in a large oven-to-table pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large frying pan or skillet, sautÈ minced leeks, carrots and celery in 2 tablespoons of the melted butter until wilted, about 10 minutes. Add broth; heat to boiling point. Add tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Beat in farina. Ladle soup into the pumpkin and float a bay leaf on top. Put the lid back on the pumpkin and bake for 45 - 60 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender, but not soft.

To serve, ladle the soup from the pumpkin, scraping out a portion of flesh with each serving. Garnish with sour cream and chives, if desired.

Serves 6-8.