Pumpkin and sage soup

A pumpkin and sage cream soup topped with fried shallots and crispy fried sage leaves. Perfect for tasting fall with all your pores :).
Recipe adapted from here. 

Last year: Potato, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs creamy salad.
Two years ago: Scottish cardamom griddle scones with butter and honey.





Ingredients (serves 4):

• 1 small pie pumpkin (1-1,5 kg)
• a thick slice of butter (about 30 g)
• 2 medium yellow onions
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 liter vegetable stock
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 shallots
• 1 bunch of fresh sage leaves (15 g)

Cut the pumpkin in half and discard its seeds. Put it in the oven at 200 degrees C for about 30 minutes until softened.

Meanwhile, prepare a heavy-bottomed soup pot. Melt the butter in it. Add the chopped onions and cook them until softened. Chop up the fresh sage leaves, reserving about 12. Add the sage and thyme to the onions.

Mix well and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Scoop up the pumpkin flesh and add it to the pot. Mix well.

Cook for 5 more minutes, then add the stock. Let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan. Peel the shallots and cut them in half, length-wise. Fry the shallots and the remaining sage leaves until the shallots are softened (turning once, carefully), and the leaves are crisp.

Remove them carefully from the oil and put them aside until the soup is done.

Season the soup with more salt and pepper to taste. Add the oil that remained from the sage and shallots. Puree it with a soup blender (or in a food processor). Transfer to serving bowls and top with some fried shallots and sage.

It's done, dig in! :)