Pumpkin Soup With Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Nothing says fall or winter more than pumpkin.  From pies to breads to soups, I love everything pumpkin. This creamy pumpkin soup from Williams-Sonoma's Soup of the Day makes the perfect light dinner when served with a salad and bread but works equally well as the first course of a dinner.   The pumpkin I used had a surprisingly large number of seeds; I cooked them all and ate the extra seeds as a snack for the rest of the week.  Even Sidney loved them!

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH SPICY PUMPKIN SEEDS

Serves 6

1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

FOR THE SPICY PUMPKIN SEEDS

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, cleaned

1 teaspoon canola oil

Salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1)  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil.  Toss the pumpkin with the oil,
     season with salt and pepper, and spread on the prepared baking sheet.  Roast the pumpkin until soft
     and caramelized, 30-35 minutes.

2)  In a large, heavy pot, warm the butte rover medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute
     until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the cumin and coriander and cook for 1 minute.  Add the
     broth and the pumpkin and bring to a boil.  REduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.
     Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

3)  Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor (or use a stick blender the way I
      do; this makes for speedier clean up).  Return to the pot and season with salt and pepper.

4)  To make the spicy pumpkin seeds, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and line a baking
     sheet with tin foil.  In a bowl toss the seeds with the oil.

5)  In another bowl combine 1 teaspoon salt, the cayenne, cumin, and cinnamon.  Add the pumpkin
     seeds to the spice mixture and stir to coat.  Spread the seeds in a single layer on the prepared baking
     sheet and bake, stirring once, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes.  Serve the soup garnished with the
     pumpkin seeds.