Magically Magnificent Cinderella Soup

We recently stumbled onto a fantastic method of making squash or pumpkin soup by baking a whole, filled fruit in the oven and serving right from the shell! It’s a super simple yet rich and indulgent recipe that requires minimal effort but has a breathtaking presentation. Just right for a holiday meal, our Cinderella soup is delicious, warming and satisfying. Its quick prep means you could throw it together for a weekday meal as well. We hope you love it as much as we do!

Ingredients:
1-whole Cinderella pumpkin (or other squash that will fit in the oven, approximately 5 pounds)
2 quarts whole milk, a milk/cream mix, or vegetable substitute (try cashew, almond or coconut)
15 large sage leaves
3 large cloves of garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons salt (more to taste)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup (more or less to taste) Gruyere cheese, shredded or cubed

Method:
1. Move the rack to the bottom of the oven to make room and preheat to 375°F.
2. Cut a lid out of the top of the pumpkin making the hole large enough to form a tureen out of it. Scoop out the insides.
Pro tip: To make gutting the pumpkin super easy, put a hand beater blade in the chuck of a portable drill and run it carefully inside the pumpkin to loosen the strings and seed.
3. Rub the inside of the cleaned fruit with sea salt, and set it in a baking dish that’s large enough to contain the whole pumpkin. Remember, if the skin gets pierced in the process, the dish will need to accommodate all the ingredients!
4. Heat the milk with the sage, garlic, salt and pepper.
5. Pour the mixture into the pumpkin, cover the hole with aluminum foil to help support the lid, and fit the lid back in place.
6. Bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours or until it is fairly soft to the touch.
7. Remove from the oven, take off the lid and foil, and carefully begin to stir the cooked flesh into the liquid to combine. Taste and add salt if needed. If the flesh is stringy or the skin doesn’t hold up you may need to scoop everything into a serving tureen.
8. Stir in cheese.
9. If you want a very smooth soup, ladle the contents into a blender or use an immersion blender & mix.
10. Top with fresh parsley for garnish if desired, serve & enjoy!

Adjust the measurements as needed for larger or smaller squash. We’ve found this basic recipe very adaptable to your preferences. Goat cheese works well, curry or other seasonings can be added prior to baking, and sour cream makes a wonderful topping immediately prior to serving.

Adapted from Deborah Madison’s recipe in her book, Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets.

If you haven't grown our Cinderella pumpkins before, be sure to add it to your list for next year!

Author: Kat B.