Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Soup
from cooking101.org

Ingredients:
5 black peppercorns (whole)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/2 teaspoon thyme (freshly chopped)
1 cup onion (chopped)
1 teaspoon parsley (freshly chopped)
4 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cups chicken stock

Directions:
On a large pot, add in the while peppercorns, the pumpkin puree, onion, thyme, garlic, and stock. Add in salt to taste.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer uncovered for over thirty minutes.
While it is simmering, use a hand blender to puree the mixture. Continue to blend until the consistency of the mixture becomes thick and creamy and the color of the soup starts to become orange and there are no other discolorations present.
After blending, bring the mixture to a boil again.
Once it starts to boil, bring the heat to low and let it simmer again for thirty minutes while uncovered.
Before serving, stir in heavy cream and simmer a while to heat. Add in some fresh parsley as garnish.

**I really enjoyed this recipe. I roasted a pie pumpkin in the oven and scooped out the middle for my pumpkin puree. I also ended up adding about a 3/4 cup to a cup of heavy whipping cream, instead of just the 1/2 a cup the recipe calls for, to get the soup to the thickness I wanted. I was able to get this soup to about a "potato soup" consistency.**