Roast pumpkin soup will warm you on a cool fall night

Hello, October. You’re the beginning of the fall holiday season, and you help us welcome all things pumpkin. While sweet pumpkin treats are enjoyable, it’s fun to switch things over to the savory pumpkin side.

This week’s recipe for Roast Pumpkin, Sage and Maftool Soup does just that, and will warm you on a cool fall night. Coming from a delightful Palestinian cookbook, Zaitoun, which means “olive,” delights in the beautiful food photography, simple, straight-forward recipes and the history and family story of its author. Gathering at a table of anyone of Arab descent is a treat for all — and especially the cook. It’s a part of our heritage — to cook, gather, entertain and enjoy company.

This week’s recipe is delightful. The savory mostly-smooth pumpkin is silky and warming, the maftool (or pearl couscous is a great sub) gives it some texture and the fried sage gives it a delicious nutty earthiness. This soup makes a fabulous fall lunch or a starter to a heartier meal. Serve with a fresh piece of bread for dipping into olive oil and za’taar of course, and be sure to share it with a friend. It’s the Arab way.

Speaking of Arabs, don’t forget this weekend to come visit St. George Lebanese Annual Dinner for a drive-through take home meal. You’ll be delighted at the same delicious food we’ve been serving for years: Kibba, Ruz N Yuknee, Cabbage Rolls, Pita bread, Lebanese Salad and of course, Baklava. It will be different this year — not welcoming people inside due to COVID concerns — but we are delighted to bring our food to the community this weekend after a couple years off.

Roast Pumpkin, Sage and Maftool Soup*

2 pound pumpkin, or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into ¾-inch chunks

4 tablespoons olive oil or any neutral oil

1/3 cup maftool (good substitute is pearl couscous)

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ teaspoon ground ginger

8 sage leaves, 4 finely chopped, 4 left whole

3 cups vegetable or chicken stock

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the pumpkin or squash on a large baking sheet and drizzle with half the cooking oil. Bake for 25 minutes, or until soft.

Meanwhile, cook the maftool (or pearl couscous) in a pot of boiling water according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat the remaining cooking oil and half the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and fry over medium heat for around 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, ginger and the chopped sage and cook for a further 2 minutes. Then add the cooked pumpkin, stock, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 minutes to bring all flavors together.

Take the soup off the heat and roughly blend it with a hand-held blender, leaving a few pieces of pumpkin for texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference.

Finally, make the topping by lightly frying the remaining whole sage leaves in the remaining butter until they are crispy. Stir these through the maftool and season with ¼ teaspoon salt.

To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top with a few spoonfuls of the sage-flavored maftool. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

*Zaitoun

This story was originally published October 6, 2021 at 4:07 AM.