NUT TREE PUMPKIN LEEK SOUP
Source: Nut Tree Remembered: The Cookbook by Tara Baumann, Jim Moehrke, Roy Moehrke, 1997 (Vacaville Museum, CA - ordering info: 707-447-4513)

The recipe comes from Elaine Power of Vacaville. Power's husband, Stephen, is the grandson of Edwin "Bunny" and Helen Power. They started the Nut Tree in 1921 as a fruit stand.

1/2 pound fresh pumpkin or banana squash, peeled and diced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 16-ounce can pumpkin, unsweetened
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup leeks, thinly sliced (or 4 pressed garlic cloves)
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Sauté fresh pumpkin or squash, and potato, in butter using a large saucepan over medium heat. Once mixture begins to brown, add onion and garlic and stir constantly, until onion is translucent. Add chicken broth and water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add canned pumpkin, parsley and leeks. Simmer additional 20 minutes.

Puree in food processor or blender. Return to clean saucepan to reheat. Stir in cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Note: For special presentations, the Nut Tree would hollow out small pumpkins to be used as soup bowls. Softly beaten unsweetened whipped cream would be floated on top of the soup and then topped with toasted pumpkin seeds.