Recipe: Roasted Sugar Pie Pumpkin Velouté From Chef Thomas Griese of JING

Directions

1. Prepare the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed metal baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Separate the seeds from the stringy pulp, rinse, and spread on a clean kitchen towel to dry thoroughly. Cut away the pumpkin’s skin, then cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes. Measure 3 cups of prepared pumpkin, reserving any remaining flesh for another use.
2. Roast until tender and lightly caramelized.
3. Toss the pumpkin with the brown sugar, honey, and ½ teaspoon salt. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25–40 minutes, turning halfway through, until easily pierced with a fork and lightly caramelized around the edges. Begin checking at 25 minutes; the honey and sugar should turn golden without burning. Reserve the pumpkin and its roasting juices.
4. Sweat the aromatics.
5. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, shallots, carrot, celery, garlic, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant but not browned, 10–15 minutes.
6. Simmer and purée the soup.
7. Add the roasted pumpkin and its golden roasting juices to the pot. Stir in the milk, bay leaf, and thyme bundle. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring regularly along the bottom of the pot, until the carrots and garlic are completely tender, approximately 10–15 minutes.
8. Discard the bay leaf and thyme bundle. Remove the pot from the heat and purée with an immersion blender until completely smooth. Alternatively, cool slightly and blend in small batches in a blender suitable for hot liquids, venting the lid according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For an especially fine texture, pass the soup through a fine-mesh strainer. Cover and set aside while finishing the garnishes.
9. Roast the pumpkin seeds and brown the butter.
10. Once the pumpkin is out of the oven, reduce the temperature to 300°F and allow the oven to cool to that temperature. Spread the cleaned, thoroughly dried seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 30–45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until dry, crisp, and lightly golden.
11. Near the end of roasting, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan frequently until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, approximately 2–4 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat. Add the roasted seeds and a pinch of salt, toss to coat, and transfer to a heatproof dish.
12. Make the vanilla meringue: While the seeds roast, bring about 1 inch of water to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan. In a clean, grease-free heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg whites, granulated sugar, sifted powdered sugar, and salt.
13. Set the bowl over the saucepan without letting its bottom touch the water. Whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
14. Remove the bowl from the heat and add the vanilla. Beat with an electric hand mixer until the meringue is glossy, holds stiff peaks, and no longer feels warm, approximately 5 to 8 minutes. The batch makes a little more than needed for garnishing.
15. Finish the velouté: Gently reheat the soup over low heat, stirring frequently. If necessary, add milk a tablespoon at a time until the soup pours smoothly while lightly coating a spoon.
16. Remove from the heat. Whisk or blend in the reserved 1 tablespoon cold butter until fully incorporated. Taste and adjust the salt. Keep warm without boiling.
17. Plate and serve.
18. Divide the velouté among 4 to 6 warm, shallow bowls. Place a generous dollop of vanilla meringue—approximately 2 tablespoons—slightly off-center in each bowl.
19. Scatter the brown butter pumpkin seeds over the soup around the meringue, leaving excess butter behind. Sprinkle a light pinch of piment d’Espelette around each bowl, then finish with a delicate drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
20. Tuck a small rosemary sprig into the meringue, allowing it to stand at a slight angle. Serve immediately, while the soup is hot and the seeds are crisp.
21. Cook’s note: Choose a sugar pie pumpkin for this recipe. To spread out the preparation, roast the seeds a day ahead, let them cool completely, and store in an airtight container. Toss them with freshly browned butter before serving.