Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 3 lbs pumpkin
• 3/4 cup arborio rice
• 8-10 cups filtered water
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 Carrot
• 2 sticks celery
• 1 leek
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 tsp rosemary minced
• 3 tbs Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs Butter
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Clean the pumpkin (save the seeds for pepitas). Peel one half of it, and dice it to 1-1 1/2-inch cubes; set aside. Cut into quarters the other half, and bake in 450 F preheated oven for approximately 1 hour. Check the pulp after 1 hour, it needs to be soft enough to puree.
2. Meanwhile, on a cutting board, dice carrot, celery, leek and aromatic herbs, and sauté in a 8-Quart stock pot with butter and olive oil. (5-10 minutes). Add the pumpkin (previously diced), the aromatic herbs, and warm filtered water. Let it simmer for 45 minutes, gently stirring from time to time.
3. Scoop the baked pumpkin off the skin and puree with a hand mixer. Add half of the puree to the soup. Continue to simmer for 15 more minutes. Add water if necessary, or if you like more of a liquid soup.
4. After one hour has passed, taste the soup and make sure the pumpkin is soft. Add salt to taste, but remember that we are going to add the rice. I always adjust salt at the very end.
5. Add rice and simmer until dense, thick, and completely cooked. Approximately 30 minutes.
6. Add milk and adjust salt and pepper. Let it rest for 20 minutes before serving with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.