Black Bean Pumpkin Soup by Kip Clark

INGREDIENTS:

3 15 ½-oz cans black beans (about 4 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup undrained canned tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cups chopped onion, or 1 tbsp dehydrated
4 garlic cloves minced (may substitute with ¼ tsp. garlic powder)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter (may substitute with cooking oil or margarine)
4 cups chicken broth
1 16-oz can pumpkin puree (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup apple juice
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded

Garnish: sour cream and coarsely chopped lightly toasted pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a 6 quart heavy kettle cook onion, garlic, cumin, curry, salt, and pepper in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown.
2. In a food processor/blender coarsely puree onion mixture, broth, apple juice, pumpkin, two of the cans of beans and tomatoes. Return to kettle. Stir in remaining can of beans and meat until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Season soup with salt and pepper. Serve soup garnished with sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds.
   

Makes about 9 cups.