Pumpkin Cream Soup with Oat Petals

It has been a long while since I last posted on either of my blogs... While browsing through one of the cookbooks that I gathered while living in Poland, I thought that it would be fun to start cooking through them. Not only will this help me to keep some of the memories of living there alive, but will keep my ever-so feeble attempt at speaking and reading Polish from dwindling entirely. I also have some posts planned for Who Stole the Kishka, so stay tuned!

Pumpkin Cream Soup

The first recipe in my Polish cookbook series is called Zupa Krem z Dyni z Platkami Owsianymi (Pumpkin Cream Soup with Oat Petals). A comforting soup for a brisk day, a pinch of cayenne lends a desired kick. If you would really like to jazz it up, mix some plain yogurt with a spoonful of honey to dollop the tops of servings.

Pumpkin Cream Soup with Oat Petals
Serves: about 6-8
Source: Kasze Polska Specjalnosc

1 pound cubed, peeled pumpkin (dynia)
2 small onions, chopped (cebule)
2 small carrots, chopped (marchewki)
2 garlic cloves, crushed (czosnku)
Fresh parsley, chopped (pietruszka)
Fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
Allspice
Savory
Sea salt
1/3 cup oats (old-fashioned or quick)

Place the pumpkin, onions, carrots, garlic and parsley (a small handful) in a soup pot. Add 3 cups of water, some thyme leaves, bay leaf, a good sprinkle of allspice, a good pinch of savory and a fair bit of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until pumpkin is almost tender.

Stir in the oats. Continue cooking until vegetables and oats are tender. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Cool soup slightly and process in batches, in a blender. Return to the pan and heat through.

Smacznego!