6 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
Kosher salt
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
One 3¼-pound kabocha squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
¾ cup dry white wine
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
Fresh Ground Pepper
Hefty pinch of cayenne pepper
Pumpkin seed oil, for drizzling
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread ½ cup of the pumpkin seeds in a pie plate. In another pie plate, toss the remaining ¼ cup of pumpkin seeds with the ½ teaspoon of olive oil, the sugar and a pinch of salt. Bake the pumpkin seeds for 12 minutes, stirring once, until lightly browned and crisp; let cool completely.
Transfer the plain roasted pumpkin seeds to a mini food processor. Add ¼ cup of the olive oil and pulse until the seeds are ground to a paste. Season with salt.
In a saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and just starting to brown, 8 minutes. Add the squash and bay leaf and cook, stirring, until the squash just begins to soften, 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until almost evaporated, 4 minutes. Add the stock and water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until the squash is very tender, 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. Return it to the saucepan, rewarm and season with salt, cayenne and fresh ground pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a spoonful of the pumpkin seed paste, the sugared pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil.
MAKE AHEAD The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.
Recipe by Weekend Table at https://weekendtable.com/2013/10/20/squash-soup-pepitas-two-ways/