Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup

Made this Wednesday as a test for the business. Everyone loved it. Tasters included my friend Julie (who sent me the recipe) and her family, as well as three pre-school teachers who are on Weight Watchers. There's a joke in there somewhere!

I modified the original recipe by doubling the amount of broth (I used homemade chicken -- not veg), adding a second can of beans, and changing the 1 cup of heavy cream to 1/2 cup half-and-half. I also added the seasoning to the onions, rather than at the end. I think that they really need to bloom in the oil, but that's me. Recipe yielded 4 quarts with these changes.

Finally, true confessions. It's a Rachael Ray recipe. So it's quick and easy, and I'm going to recommend it despite how infernally annoying I find her.

Here's the modified recipe.
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
2 cans (15 ounces) black beans, drained
2 cans (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt
20 blades fresh chives, chopped or snipped, for garnish

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onion. Saute onions 5-10 minutes until softened, then add curry, cumin, cayenne and stir about 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans and pumpkin puree. Stir to combine ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in half-and-half and salt to taste. Simmer 5 minutes, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with chopped chives.


Original recipe is at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_21825,00.html?rsrc=search