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Creamy Harissa Pumpkin Soup and Pumpkin Seed Dukkah

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Makes 4 to 6 servings 1x

Time 1 hour

Units Scale

Ingredients

For the dukkah:

For the soup:

  • 2 small-medium pumpkins
  • 2–3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot or 1/2 onion, sliced
  • 4–6 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1/2 apple (honeycrisp or another sweet variety), peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1–2 tbsp harissa paste
  • 4 cups pumpkin flesh
  • 3 cups vegetable stock or water
  • 1 cup heavy cream

For garnish:

  • Heavy cream, for drizzling
  • Handful of soft herbs (such as chives, tarragon, or parsley), chopped

Instructions

  1. Cut the tops off the pumpkins so you can easily access the seeds. Scoop the seeds out, rinse and dry them, and set aside. Scoop out 4 cups of the pumpkin flesh and set aside.
  2. Prepare the dukkah: Toast the seeds and nuts until golden brown (approximately 10 minutes) in a pan or toaster oven at medium-low heat, working in batches with smaller and larger ingredients to avoid any burning (alternatively, begin with pumpkin seeds and almonds or hazelnuts, then add everything else toward the final few minutes). Roughly chop the larger pumpkin seeds and almonds or hazelnuts. Mix everything together and add cayenne and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, add extra virgin olive oil. Add shallot, garlic, apple, and carrot and cook until fragrant and softened (about 7 minutes), stirring as you go. Add harissa paste and continue to cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add stock or water. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium, add pumpkin and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add heavy cream, and mix with an immersion blender until thick and smooth.

— Recipe by Erika Houle