Chipotle Pumpkin Soup

Morita chiles are red, fully mature Chipotles. This gives them a unique, medium – hot smokey flavor which is popular in many Southwestern dishes. These can be added to sauces (including Mole) to add smokey flavor and maintain the red color of the sauces. These peppers are about 2-4 inches in length, 1 inch in width, and have a deep brick reddish brown color. The word Chipotle translated to smoked chile. Consider the Chipotle a 6.5 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hottest). Scoville heat units 7,000-25,000.

Suggested Use:
Use Morita in enchilada sauces, chili, stews, barbecue ribs, and corn bread. Their smoky quality combines well with poultry, meats and fall squash.

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Ingredients

  • 2 small cloves of garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1-2 chipotle peppers, rehydrated in hot water
  • 2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream, for garnish
  • ½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Combine the garlic, ginger, and chipotle in a food processor. Add in 1/3 cup of the pumpkin puree and process on high until smooth.
  2. In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, whisk together the chipotle mixture, the rest of the pumpkin puree, and the stock, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  3. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk in the cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and honey. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and whisk in the heavy cream, salt, and pepper.
  5. Ladle into serving bowls and add a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream and sprinkle with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Notes

I used 1 chipotle pepper and it added a nice amount of spice at the end of each bite. If you prefer spicier foods, add 2 chipotle peppers.

Adapted from sagerecipes.com