Earth-spleen qi/yang xu

Frances Norris

Harvest Pumpkin Soup

Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 small pumpkin, halved, seeds and stringy fibers put aside-cool, sweet, dispels damp

6 tbsp. unsalted butter- sweet, neutral, supplements qi

3 cups chicken stock-sweet, warm, supplements qi

3 cups water

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 small parsnip, peeled and coarsely chopped-warm, pungent, dispels dampness

1 small Yukon gold potato, peeled and coarsely chopped-cool, sweet, strengthens SP, harmonizes ST

2 small shallots, minced-warm, pungent

½ cup dry white wine-pungent, sweet, warm, expels cold

3 tbsp. heavy cream-sweet, neutral, supplements qi

1 tsp. packed light-brown sugar-sweet, warm, supplements MJ

2 tsp. coarse salt-salty, cold, nourishes KD

Freshly ground pepper to taste-pungent, warm, warms the MJ, expels damp and cold

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400, place pumpkin halves, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until soft, about 50 min. Scoop out flesh, and puree in a food processor.

2. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add reserved seeds and fibers from pumpkin, and cook for 4 min. Add stock, water, and thyme, and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook for 9 to 10 min.

3. Meanwhile, melt remaining 5 tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin puree, parsnip, potato, and turnip, and cook for 5 min. Add shallots, and cook until soft, about 4 min. Add wine, and cook until liquid has reduced by half.

4. Strain pumpkin-seed mixture, reserving broth and discarding solids. Add broth to pumpkin-wine mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook 20 minutes. Let cool.

5. Puree in a food processor in small batches until smooth. Heat soup in a saucepan over medium-
high heat. Stir in cream, sugar, salt, and pepper, and serve.