Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon all spice
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
2 (2-pound) pumpkin peeled, seeded, chopped (about 6 cups)
½ cup whipping cream
4 cups vegetable broth
¼ cup maple syrup
2 star anise Salt and freshly ground pepper

For garnish, recipes follow
Autumn Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
Cranberry Sage Pecan Pesto
Red Basil Ginger Almond Cinnamon Pesto

PREPARATION

Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots, sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add pumpkin, 6 cups stock and star anise, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Cover and simmer until pumpkin is very tender, about 25 minutes. Discard star anise. Purée soup in batches in blender. Return to Dutch oven. Stir in cream and maple syrup . Bring to simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper.

(Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Bring to simmer before serving, thin with more stock, if desired.)

Autumn Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

INGREDIENTS

½ cup pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons butter, melted
½ tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
3 tablespoons maple syrup

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400ËšF.
Toss pumpkin seeds with butter and spices, place in oven, 15 minutes or until crisp and golden. Let cool.