I wanted to add a little more depth to my traditional pumpkin soup, so I’ve created a new version that includes apples, leeks, jalapeños, and a combination of spices, including cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg.  The pressure cooker helps subtly bring out all of those flavors harmoniously.  Add a little toasted pine nuts and sour cream at the end and you have a rich new take on one of fall’s favorites soups.  I hope you enjoy it.  And, just a reminder, if you’re using a blender to blend your soup, please be extra careful and blend in small batches.  I’ve had a blender spray hot soup on me once…it’s definitely not fun.

Pressure Cooker Apple And Pumpkin Soup
makes about 10 cups

Ingredients

1 tbl Olive Oil
1 lg Yellow Onion, chopped
1 lg Jalapeño, seeded and chopped (seeding is optional, keep them in if you want extra heat)
1 lg Leek, cleaned, trimmed and thinly sliced (mostly white portion)
2 med Carrots, chopped
1 lg Celery Stalk, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, peeled and minced
2 lg Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and chopped
12 oz Pumpkin Purée
4 1/2 cu Chicken Stock (you can use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version of the soup)
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg

Garnish Options
Toasted Pine Nuts
Light Sour Cream

Method

Preheat pressure cooker to sauté setting.  Add olive oil and onions.  Sauté for about 3 minutes or until onions are softens and slightly translucent.  Add jalapeño, leek, carrots and celery.  Continue to sauté for an additional 3 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes more.  Add apples, pumpkin purée, chicken stock, salt, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper.  Stir to thoroughly combine and then place the lid on pressure cooker and cook at hight pressure for 10 minutes.

Quick release the steam.  Remove the lid.  Using an immersion blender, purée the mixture until smooth.  Alternatively, you can very carefully purée the soup in small batches in a blender.  Cover the top of the blender with a kitchen towel and start blending on the lowest setting and with only a half filled blender container with each batch.

Serve soup with a bit of sour cream and toasted pine nuts.  You can dilute the sour cream with a bit of soup and transfer that mixture to a squeeze bottle to create a swirl pattern on top of the soup for a little extra flair.