Cooking Instructions
1.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2.
Peel
Pumpkins (11 3/4 cups)
using a vegetable peeler and cut off stem.
3.
Cut in half vertically and scoop out seeds, reserve seeds for roasting if desired.
4.
Cut into approximate 1 1/2-inch chunks and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
5.
Remove stem from
Roma Tomatoes (2 1/4 cups)
and cut into quarters.
6.
Spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle the pumpkin and tomatoes with
Olive Oil (4 Tbsp)
and roast in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Add
Garlic (2 cloves)
to the tray during the last 1/2 hour.
7.
Peel and chop
Onion (1)
into 1/2-inch chunks. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add onion and sauté until starting to soften, approximately 5 minutes.
8.
To the pot add roasted vegetables,
Chicken Broth (4 cups)
,
Fresh Oregano (1 Tbsp)
,
Smoked Paprika (as needed)
,
Dry Mustard (as needed)
,
Dried Sage (as needed)
,
Salt (as needed)
,
Ground Black Pepper (as needed)
,
Chili Powder (as needed)
, and
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (1 pinch)
. Cover and simmer for a minimum 30 minutes.
9.
Remove from heat and blend with a hand held emersion blender until smooth. Adjust consistency using
Chicken Broth (1 cup)
. Adjust seasoning if desired.
10.
Combine
All-Purpose Flour (1 Tbsp)
,
Corn Starch (1 Tbsp)
,
Salt (as needed)
, and
Ground Black Pepper (as needed)
in a shallow dish.
11.
Trim ends from
Leek (1)
and rinse well, making sure to rinse under any loose leaves. Cut leek into 1/4 inch slices and separate rings.
12.
Toss leek slices in flour mixture to gently coat.
13.
Add
Canola Oil (1 cup)
to a shallow pot or skillet and heat until the oil sizzles when a sprinkle of flour is added. Scoop out half of the leek slices, shake off any excess flour, and add to oil.
14.
Fry for 4-5 minutes until golden, turning once. Using a slotted scoop remove leeks from oil and allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat the frying process with remaining leeks. Keep uncovered at room temperature until ready to use.
15.
Ladle soup into serving bowls. Swirl a dab of
Sour Cream (1/2 cup)
into each and top with crispy leeks.
