Pumpkin and Cranberry Soup
1 cup dried cranberries
½ cup cream sherry
6 tablespoons butter
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cans (16 ounces) pumpkin puree
8 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Place the cranberries in a glass bowl and add the sherry. Cover the bowl and let the cranberries soak for at least two hours or overnight.
In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Saute for five minutes. Add the pumpkin, stock, brown sugar, maple syrup and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree with a blender or hand blender until the soup is creamy. Add the cream and the cranberries with the soaking liquid. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.
Makes 12 servings
Adapted from the New England Soup Factory Cookbook by Marjorie Druker and Clara Silverstein