Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1 small-medium pumpkin (sugar pie variety, if possible), to yield 3 cups mashed pumpkin
1 tablespoon butter
2 slices bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup crème fraiche, plus 1 cup for garnish
1/4 cup orange juice
1 large pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chipotle peppers (canned is fine)

You will also need:
Baking sheet
Spoon
Large pot
Blender
Fine mesh or strainer

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425oF.

 Rub the olive oil on a baking sheet.   

Halve the pumpkin from top to bottom and place it, cut side down, on the oiled baking sheet. Bake until the pumpkin can be easily skewered, 30-40 minutes. Cool for about 20 minutes.

With a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Scrape out the pulp and set aside 3 cups. Discard the skin.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and the bacon is just turning golden, about 7 minutes. Add the pumpkin and stock and simmer for about 30 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender on high speed, 3 minutes per batch, until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh into a clean soup pot and add 1 cup of the crème fraiche, the orange juice and the nutmeg.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, correct the consistency with additional water or stock. Chop 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper. Stir peppers into the remaining crème fraiche.

Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Spoon a dollop of chipotle crème fraiche into the soup.

Serves 6-8.

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