Ingredients
For the cream:
- 800g pumpkin (peeled and diced)
- 1 leek (white part only, sliced)
- 1 medium potato (peeled and diced)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 750 ml chicken or vegetable broth
- 100 ml liquid cream (or evaporated milk)
- 30g Iberian ham shavings
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the crunchy topping:
- 50g Iberian ham shavings
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- Optional: 1 tablespoon of toasted pine nuts
Step by step
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot.
- Sauté the leek and garlic for 3 minutes over medium heat (do not brown).
- Add the pumpkin and potato. Stir for 1 minute.
- Cover with hot broth. After boiling, reduce to medium-low heat.
- Cook for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender (pierce with a knife).
- Add the 30g of wood chips to the pot.
- Cook for 2 more minutes: the ham will melt and perfume everything.
- Remove from heat. Blend with a hand blender until you achieve a smooth velouté texture.
- Return to low heat. Add the cream. Heat for 1 minute.
- Taste: adjust salt/pepper.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Add the 50g of shavings. Stir for 1-2 minutes: they will toast and become crispy.
- Reserve on absorbent paper.
Final assembly
- Serve the hot cream in deep bowls.
- Crown with crispy shavings + drizzle of EVOO.
- Optional: toasted pine nuts or a few drops of truffle oil.
Quick variations
| Cream base | Substitution | Extra topping |
|---|---|---|
| Mushrooms (button mushroom + porcini) | 600g mushrooms + 1 potato | Cheese shavings + Idiazabal cheese |
| Broccoli | 700g broccoli + 1 potato | Shavings + slivered almonds |
| Spinach | 400g fresh spinach + 1 potato | Shavings + poached egg |
Chef’s tip: Save 1 tablespoon of cooking broth before blending → use it to “loosen” the cream if it’s too thick.
Ready! An elegant soup in less than 40 minutes.