2.21.2009

savoury pumpkin soup with scallops

savoury pumpkin soup with scallops I love pumpkin. You name it, if it has pumpkin, I'll probably like it. I suppose there are worse faults to have, although I can get a bit carried away. Like slowly swirling a scoop of pumpkin ice cream in black coffee - a great way to start a fall day before the temperatures have aligned with the seasons. This variation on pumpkin, is a soup with a few twists. Like orange blossom water. It's so aromatic, but divine. Oooh yes, and cumin, and garam masala, and the scallops just kinda tie it all together! I think pumpkin soup with scallops was the first dish I made for Jeff. I remember being convinced that the scallops wouldn't turn out, as I find the trick to searing scallops is to consistently use the same "brand", the same stove, and the same pan. Thankfully the scallops turned out just fine. Phew! However, a couple things to note with purchasing scallops. Scallops often come from the same distributor, even for different fish markets. More often than not the fishmonger has defrosted previously frozen scallops, as the ones sitting in the case are not usually fresh. Do read the fine print, or ask. Most scallops have been treated with phosphates, sodium tripolyphosphate (STP). This is to help the scallop maintain freshness, but also to prevent a loss of mass, and can increase it too... but they will deflate as they are cooked....sometimes the only way to find out is the hard way - to cook them. Once we had company over, and unfortunately I prepared scallops that were excessively bitter, virtually inedible. The scallops were previously frozen, and then must have been soaked in more STP to "maintain freshness"...okay increase their mass. So, I have had much better luck buying only frozen (little or no STP), and from asking questions. Quite often, scallops are frozen on the boat, or frozen the same day. Flash-frozen. That's about as good as it gets for me. I defrost the scallops in the fridge overnight, or in a plastic bag soaking in lukewarm water. Much more reliable...unless I was able go to out and get them from the water myself! Unfortunately, living on the prairies, has pretty much ensured that I won't be doing that anytime soon. The soup itself is constantly evolving, according to a change in spiciness; but pumpkin pairs very well with the mellow sweetness of scallops. Savoury Pumpkin Soup with Scallops 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable broth 2-28 oz cans of pumpkin 1 cup chopped onion 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp garam masala 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp coriander 2 tbsp orange blossom water 1/2 cup maple syrup salt to taste 2-3 scallops per person 1. In a stock pot, heat the olive oil on medium high heat and sauté the onion. When the onion is caramelized, add the spices. Lower the heat, and continue to sauté until fragrant, another 15-30 seconds. 2. Add the cans of pumpkin, and the stock. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the orange blossom water, and the maple syrup. Add salt to taste. 3. Add a touch of olive oil to a non-stick skillet, and heat until very hot. Dry the scallops on a paper towel. Using tongs, add the scallops to the hot pan. Depending upon the size of the scallop, cook 1-2 minutes per side. Generally, I cook longer on the first side, to make sure I have at least one side with a nice golden crust. 4. Spoon the soup into bowls, and place the scallops on top. They tend to sink, and just peek out from the top. Finish with a few drops of orange blossom water, or some good quality white truffle oil. Enjoy!

14 comments:

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Mmm, wonderful soup.

gail said...

Wow! You are the fastest commenter ever! You rock :)

Anonymous said...

yummy soup!

Anonymous said...

This looks insanely good!

Anonymous said...

Miss VeggieGirl is seriously fast at commenting...amazing!

That soup is beautiful :)

V.Streit said...

I don't have a way of getting fresh scallops here. Most are previously frozen, so I stay away from it. Kinda sucks, since I love scallops. I'm moving to a bigger city in a few weeks, so I might be able to find some fresh stuff. *crosses fingers*

V.Streit said...

Hmm..it didn't sign my name. Weird.

Anonymous said...

My, my that looks so good with those scallops in there!

Krista Dearden said...

My mouth is watering looking at that picture! I am definitely going to try making that soup! Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

Hi-- thanks for the recipe! How many is this intended to serve?

Additionally, what do you know about scallops from the shell? I live in Paris and constantly see them at the market, but am afraid to take the risk.

Kerri Beth said...

Wow, I want to try this one. The only problem that I am having is finding canned pumpkin in australia.

Cynthia said...

I like - very much.

j said...

mmm.. this is looking yummy. I love this soup very much. Thanks for recipe, let me try.

James said...

Wow.. this is my favourite soup. I will try to make.

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