Pumpkin Soup with Curry and Goat Cheese

• Melt butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat.

• Add leek, salt and pepper and cook, covered, until very soft, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Add garlic and curry powder and cook for another minute.

• Add vegetable stock and pumpkin puree and mix well.

• Bring to a boil, cover and turn down the heat. Cook for 10 minutes.

• Remove soup from the heat and add goat cheese.

• Puree soup in a food processor, blender or with an immersion blender.

• You may need to puree the soup in batches.

• Make sure to vent the food processor or blender while processing.

• Return the soup to the pot. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

• Serve warm.

• 4 oz. goat cheese (chevre)

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 leek, washed and sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 tsp. sweet curry powder

• 3 cups vegetable stock

• 2 cups pumpkin puree

Optional Garnish: Thin additional goat cheese with milk until it is the consistency of whipped cream. Place a dollop of goat cheese in the center of each bowl before serving.

Note: Do not boil the soup once the goat cheese has been added. You may make the soup a couple of days ahead of time, up to the point that the goat cheese is added. To finish soup, bring to a boil, then add goat cheese and continue with the recipe. Finished soup may be re-heated gently to desired temperature.