Pumpkin Soup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup rinsed, sliced leeks with tops
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 cups chicken stock
3 cups peeled pumpkin chunks or 2 cups plain canned pumpkin purée (I used the canned pumpkin)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons low-fat yogurt or reduced-fat sour cream

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Well, I just happened on this recipe yesterday. This was after I saw some canned pumpkin a few days ago and was wondering just what the heck can you make with canned pumpkin. "Pies and cheesecakes" was my mother's response...

So I decided to give this recipe a shot. It certainly looked exciting.

I haven't had it "the day after" yet, and I'll add a comment tomorrow if I've changed my judgment.

Overall, I must say that I'm a little disappointed with the soup. Oh sure, it was hot and the pumpkin adds some creamy texture to the soup, but the pumpkin taste is really a little too "docile" if I may say so. In fact, it's a little hard for me to pinpoint the major taste in the soup. I'm sure it's all healthy for you - but it's quite bland. I would think that maybe a little more ginger or some honey might sweeten it enough to make it a little more enjoyable. If there is a next time, I'll certainly keep that in mind.

The photographic evidence:

It doesn't look like much, does it? Well, it doesn't grade very well either: 5.5 out of 10. No, it's not bad, but certainly not on my list to make again anytime soon.

Chef's Update: I just ate some soup for lunch here at work, and it has improved somewhat. I'd update the score to 6.0 out of 10. It could use some more pepper or maybe some curry.