CAJUN PUMPKIN SOUP
- 8 cups of chicken broth
- 35 oz of cubed pumpkin
- 2.5 cups of good quality dry sherry
- 1.5 cups of heavy cream
- 3 large shallots, diced
- 3 ribs of celery, chopped
- 2 Tbsp of Cajun seasoning + more for the shrimp
- a pinch (or two) of cayenne pepper
- a cup of sliced or chopped mushrooms (any kind)
- 1 lbs of large scampi-size shrimp
- 5 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled
Place a large soup pot on the stove over high heat. Add a splash of olive oil, and saute the chopped shallots & celery until translucent and starting to brown. Douse with sherry, and cook for a minute or so to burn off some of the alcohol. Add chicken broth and chopped pumpkin, and bring to a boil. Let simmer until pumpkin is soft and cooked through.
In the meantime, saute sliced mushrooms until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
Cook bacon, drain or pat dry and crumble. Set aside.
Shell & devein shrimp, toss in a bit of olive oil and grill in a 450F oven with a sprinkling of Cajun seasoning until done , approx 10 min.
When pumpkin is soft, blend the soup until smooth and velvety. Add cream, grilled shrimp, bacon and browned mushrooms and warm through in the soup. Season with salt & pepper, and add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat.
Ladle in soup bowls, sprinkle with a bit of parsley and serve with corn bread.