RECIPES

Cory Schreiber, chef/owner of Portland’s Wildwood Restaurant and Bar shares one of his favorite soups made with Ford Farms hard cider. Pour a glass of sparkling cider to complement the soup!

Pumpkin Soup with Ford Farms Hard Cider

4 pounds sugar pumpkin (two medium or one large pumpkin)
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 leeks, (white part only) washed and chopped
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 cups Ford Farm hard cider
1/4 cup undiluted orange juice concentrate
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/4-cup ground cloves
1-tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
1-tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2-teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 unpeeled red apple, such as a Cortland, cored and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces for garnish
1/2-cup sour cream for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375*f, Season the pumpkin with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper. Lightly oil a jellyroll and place the squash, cut-side down, on the pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until tender. Let cool completely, scrape out the pumpkin flesh and set aside.

In a heavy 3-quart pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, carrots, leeks, onions, chopped fennel, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Mix in the cooked pumpkin, stock, apple cider, orange juice concentrate, fennel seeds, and cloves. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, cayenne, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Let cool completely. In a food processor or blender, purée the soup in batches if necessary, until smooth. Press through a fine-meshed sieve. Heat the soup and add more stock and a little hard cider if the soup is too thick. To serve, ladle into soup bowls and garnish with the chopped apple and a spoon of the sour cream.

Cory Schreiber
Wildwood Restaurant & Bar