Pumpkin Quince Soup (mind your ps and qs)

I was experimenting with pumpkin soup last night and came up with a recipe that I think is one of the better pumpkin soups I’ve had.

Ingredients

• 3 cups Winter luxury pumpkin (other pumpkins and squash can certainly substitute)
• one medium onion (or substitute a leek)
• a sweet pepper
• a large clove of garlic
• Olive oil
• 3/4 of a can of coconut milk
• Salt
• pepper
• about 1T dried basil
• 1 large quince
• water
• Toasted pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top (optional)

I sauteed the onions, garlic, and pepper in olive oil, then blended it with the pumpkin puree, added the basil and coconut milk and a bit of water, salt and pepper. It needed something else…vinegar? tomato?…lemon? No, Quince! I quartered and cored a quince, sliced it thinly, and cooked it in a little water until it was tender, then blended it into something the texture of applesauce. I added it to the soup and it was just the thing, a little tart, a little sweet, a little quincy. If I were doing it again, I’d just cook the quince with the leeks and blend it all together. I might add ginger. We loved it as it was.

This is a new recipe; please experiment with quantities and ingredients and let us know what you think!