Harvest Pumpkin Soup with Candied Bacon

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cut the sugar pumpkin in half. This will require a sharp knife and a little bit of muscle. Scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers. (I highly recommend keeping the seeds and roasting them. They’re awesome.) Place the pumpkins cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until they are very soft.

Once the pumpkin is in the oven, prepare the candied bacon. Cut bacon slices in half and place on a rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the pecans, maple syrup, brown sugar and a little fresh ground pepper. Use a spoon to spread the pecan mixture onto each piece of bacon. Bake bacon for 20 minutes until the bacon is golden brown. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain any excess grease. Set aside until ready to use.

About 10 minutes before pumpkins are ready, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. When hot, add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are tender. Add the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, and then add the vegetable broth and maple syrup.

Scoop the flesh from the cooked pumpkins (you should have about 2 cups) and add it to the soup. Simmer
for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly and then puree using an immersion blender (fancy!), regular blender (you may have to do this in batches), or a food processor and return it to the pot. Season with salt to taste.

Serve your soup warm topped with whole or crumbled candied bacon and get cozy. Happy fall, friends!