Based on the Boston Globe Magazine, 2005 November 13
Serves 6.
The sweetest sugar pumpkins measure about 6 to 7 inches across and weigh about 3 pounds each. You can also use the smaller 1 1/2-pound pumpkins. Set the oven at 450 degrees. Wash the pumpkins to remove any dirt. With your hands, snap off the stems. Halve the pumpkins through the stem end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Set the pumpkin halves on a rimmed baking sheet, cut sides down. Roast them for 50 to 60 minutes or until the flesh is tender when pierced with a skewer. Set them aside to cool. With a large spoon, scoop the flesh from the pumpkin skins and puree it in a food processor.
In a heavy-based saucepan, melt the margarine. Add the onion and chili pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, or until the onion softens. Add the ginger and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in the pumpkin puree, then the stock, a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the coconut milk with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down the heat, and simmer the soup for 5 minutes.
Ladle into 6 bowls. Arrange the garnishes in small bowls and let the guests add their own toppings to the soup.
You see, I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty
attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool
takes in all the lumber of every sort he comes across, so that the knowledge
which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with
a lot of other things, so that he has difficulty in laying his hands upon it.
Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his
brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing
his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect
order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and
can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every
addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of
the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out
the useful ones.
-- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "A Study in Scarlet"
This page was last modified on 2011 December 20.