- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total time
- 60 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 260 kcal
Quick summary
“This comforting cream highlights the natural sweetness of kabocha pumpkin roasted slowly in the oven until caramelized, blended with hot broth, and finished with fresh heavy cream. Crispy sage leaves fried in butter and toasted nuts with croutons bring a memorable textural contrast.”
What you need to know
- Pre-roasting the diced pumpkin in the oven at 200°C intensifies the natural sugars and brings toasted notes to the broth.
- The quick frying of sage leaves in butter flavors the dairy fat and gives a crispy texture for garnish.
- The fresh heavy cream added at the end over low heat imparts velvetiness and softens the fibrous density of the pumpkin.
Ingredients
Main
- g Pumpkin (Cabotia or Hokkaido type)
- unit Cebola
- cloves Garlic
- ml Vegetable or chicken broth
- ml Fresh cream
- units Fresh sage leaves
- tablespoons Unsalted butter
- tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- g Nozes
- slice Sandwich bread
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
Principal
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread the pumpkin cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until tender and lightly caramelized. The professional technique is to roast the pumpkin to intensify the flavor.
- While the pumpkin roasts, prepare the nut crunch. In a small skillet, toast the chopped nuts over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant. If using, add the crumbled bread and toast for another 2 minutes. Set aside. The secret to this recipe is the texture.
- In a deep pot, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Then, add the garlic and half of the chopped sage leaves, sautéing for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Incorporate the roasted pumpkin into the pan with the onion and garlic. Pour in the hot vegetable or chicken broth, covering the pumpkin. Let it boil and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes, until all flavors are well integrated.
- With an immersion blender, blend the cream directly in the pot until you get a velvety consistency without lumps. If you don't have a mixer, transfer to a blender, very carefully, and blend in portions. The most important tip is to ensure a smooth texture.
- Return the cream to the pan (if you used a blender). Add the fresh cream and mix well. Adjust the salt and black pepper to taste. Let it heat gently, but do not let it boil, to maintain the creaminess of the cream.
- Serve the hot cream in individual bowls. Finish each portion with a generous spoonful of the walnut crunch and some fresh sage leaves. An extra drizzle of olive oil can enhance the shine and flavor of the dish.
Chef's tips
- Keep the clean skin of the kabocha squash when roasting if you want a denser, darker cream with extra fiber intake.
- Toast the chopped nuts and bread cubes in a dry skillet until golden before sprinkling over the served bowls.
- Use warmed homemade vegetable broth when blending with an immersion blender to maintain the temperature and achieve a perfectly smooth texture.
Variations
- Add a coffee spoon of fresh grated ginger to the onion sauté to give the cream a spicy freshness.
- Add a generous pinch of ground nutmeg and cayenne pepper for a warm and spicy finish.
- Finish each dish with a few drops of traditional aged balsamic vinegar to create aromatic acidic contrast.
Substitutions
- The cabotiá squash can be replaced with calabaza, butternut squash, or a traditional pumpkin variety.
- Fresh heavy cream can be replaced by thick homemade coconut milk to create a lactose-free version.
- Chopped walnuts can be swapped for pumpkin seeds toasted with sea salt or pieces of cashews.
How to store
Conserve em vasilha fechada sob refrigeração por até 4 dias. The walnut and sage crunch should be stored separately in a dry container.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze the pumpkin cream without the heavy cream in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Add the heavy cream when reheating.
What to serve with
Serve with slices of sourdough bread toasted with olive oil, parmesan cheese shavings, and full-bodied white wine like Chardonnay.
Frequently asked questions
How to prevent the cream from splashing out when using an immersion blender?
Keep the immersion blender head fully submerged in the liquid before turning it on, and use moderate speed with gentle movements.
Can I cook the pumpkin in boiling water instead of roasting it in the oven?
It can be done, but cooking in water dilutes the flavor and natural sugars; roasting in the oven concentrates much more flavor.
What is the correct point of sage fried in butter?
The leaves should fry for about 30 seconds until they become translucent and rigid, removing them immediately so as not to darken or bitter.
How to remove the skin of kabocha squash easily?
Bake the pumpkin with skin in large pieces; after cooking, the soft flesh easily comes off with a tablespoon.
