Pumpkin, Early Girl Tomato, Red Onion, Cabbage and Lamb Soup with Herbs
Serves 4Not only do I love serving this soup in a pumpkin shell for presentation, the combination of vegetables, different herbs, and the rich flavor of chili powder and ground lamb makes this an excellent soup. I sprinkle it with chopped mint before serving to add a fresh flavor to this hearty main dish.
Ingredients
- 4 small to medium pumpkins
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1/2 of a small green cabbage thinly sliced
- 4 early girl tomatoes stemmed and peeled or, 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juices
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Leaves from 1 sprig rosemary finely chopped
- Leaves from two sprigs of thyme finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
- 3 cups water or more as needed
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the tops off the pumpkins. With a large spoon, remove the pulp and seeds. Discard the seeds or reserve for roasting, if desired. Reserve the pulp. In a small pot, combine the pulp and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring. Remove from the heat. Carefully, puree the pulp in a blender or food processor. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the lamb over medium-high heat, until the lamb is lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic, onion, cabbage, chili powder and tomato paste and cook for about 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the lamb, tomatoes, pumpkin puree, rosemary, thyme, and water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 45-55 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Divide the soup into the pumpkins and cover with the lids. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour. Remove from the oven.
- Carefully, transfer the pumpkins to individual plates. Remove the lids and sprinkle the mint over the top. Serve immediately.
Please follow and like:
