When I think of French food, the words “quick and simple” normally don’t come to mind. But Jacques Pepin is changing that idea with his recent cookbook Quick & Simple: Simply Wonderful Meals with Surprisingly Little Effort.
After the holidays, I had some extra canned pumpkin in my kitchen cabinet. In just minutes, with Pepin’s help, I whipped up his Cream of Pumpkin Soup. I didn’t have light cream on hand, so I used unsweetened almond milk; the soup still had a creamy consistency. As I whisked the soup on the stovetop, I toasted bread cubes in the oven to serve as my croutons.
Ingredients:
- One 16-ounce can pure pumpkin puree
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup light cream (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
- Croutons
Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, mix well, and bring to a boil. Divide the soup among four soup bowls, sprinkle with croutons, if desired, and serve immediately.
Quick & Simple features the following chapters: Appetizers & Salads; Soups; Breads, Pizzas & Hot Sandwiches; Legumes & Vegetables; Shellfish & Fish; Eggs, Poultry & Meat; and Desserts. It is available upon request for curbside pickup at Whitehall Public Library here or by calling 412-882-6622.
