Method
Ingredient preparation: Peel and finely chop the onion, and peel and mince the garlic cloves.
Base cooking: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
Aromatics addition: Introduce the minced garlic and ground cumin, cooking for an additional minute until the mixture is fragrant.
Pumpkin addition: Add the pumpkin cubes to the pot, stirring well to ensure they are coated with the spices and oil.
Liquid addition: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth, ensuring the pumpkin is fully submerged. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
Blending: Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it achieves a smooth and creamy consistency. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth.
Cream incorporation: Return the pureed soup to low heat. Stir in the heavy cream and ground nutmeg, heating gently without allowing it to boil.
Final seasoning: Season the soup with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serving: Serve the soup hot, garnished with fresh parsley.
Refrigerate: Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days. The soup may thicken when chilled; reheat gently on the stove, adding a little water or broth to adjust consistency as needed.
Freezing: Freezing is possible but with caution due to the heavy cream. Cream-based soups tend to separate upon freezing and reheating. To avoid this, prepare and freeze the soup without the heavy cream. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. After thawing in the refrigerator overnight, gently reheat the soup on low heat and stir in the heavy cream just before serving.
