Pumpkin Soup with Sage and Bacon
serves 4
2 T butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 lb. floury white potatoes
2  1/4c of pumpkin flesh, diced (you could also cook the pumpkin separately as described in our "cooking pumpkin for puree" recipe)
2  3/4c vegetable soup
1c cream, not low fat
2 t freshly grated ginger
1/2 t lemon juice
1 pinch grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 sliced bacon, diced
5 fresh sage leaves
1 T extra virgin olive oil

-Heat the butter in a large sauce pan and fry the onion and garlic
-Add the potatoes and pumpkin (if using puree add after potatoes are cooked through), cook for a few minutes, stirring
-Stir in the vegetable stock and cook for 25 minutes until the vegetables are soft
-Puree all in a blender, return to pan and add the cream
-Add a bit more stock if desired
-Add the ginger, season with lemon juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg
-Fry the bacon in  small pan in the butter until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towel
-Add the sage to the pan and fry for 30 seconds
-Add the bacon and sage to the soup, drizzle with the olive oil and season with fresh pepper