Dec 12 Pumpkin Soup with Pancetta & Gorgonzola

Ingredients

• 2 small pumpkins
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil
• 4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable stock (you can use the stock from Thanksgiving leftovers)
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 medium onion diced
• 8 oz (250 g) pancetta, sliced then chopped into little pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz (125 g) Gorgonzola

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Cut pumpkins in half and remove the seeds. Oil the cut sides and place face down on cookie sheets. Bake in oven for about 45 minutes until pumpkin is very soft. Scoop pumpkin meat into soup pot. Add stock, thyme, bay leaf and cloves to pot and bring to a low boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Purée pumpkin mixture (best done with a hand blender). In a skillet set over medium-high heat, sauté pancetta and onions until onions are golden and pancetta is crisp. Drain off fat and add pancetta and onions to puréed soup. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary. Serve soup with a chunk of gorgonzola floating in the middle.

Serves 4