Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Barley

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Pumpkin is a very popular flavor profile now a days. This Pumpkin soup is really nice. It is extremely subtle in taste, but yet interesting enough to draw you back for another taste. The balance between the sweet, fresh pumpkin and nutty toasted barley is evident. I really enjoyed it and I hope you do too!

1 medium sugar pumpkin, cleaned + cut into wedges
olive oil
5-7 cooked chestnuts, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups chicken stock
1/3-3/4 cup of half and half
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
salt
pepper
Toppings:(optional)
toasted barley or farro (recipe below)
pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Put pumpkin wedges on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place it in the oven and cook until tender and soft about 40 minutes.
3. Remove pan from the oven and scrape the meat from the pumpkin skin. Set the pumpkin meat aside.
4. Meanwhile add olive oil to a medium sized pot on medium heat. Add the olive oil and let it get heated. Next add the onions and season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until translucent about 3-5 mins.
5. Now add the chestnuts and roasted pumpkin to the pan and cover with chicken stock. 
6. Bring to a boil and drop it down to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes or until the stock has  reduced and everything is cooked. 
7. Take the pot off the heat and puree it using an immersion blender or normal blender. Add the half and half and nutmeg. Taste to adjust seasonings. Serve warm and top with pumpkin seeds and toasted  barley.

Toasted Barley 

1 cup cooked pearled barley

healthy amount of olive oil

1. In a saute pan on high heat add the olive oil. Next add the barley in an even layer. Let it cook and get crispy, browned and toasted about 5 minutes. 
2. Remove from pan and place on a dish. Top it on soup. 

Happy Eatings!