WEST INDIAN PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• 1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onions, carrots and celery until soft bu not brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and chilies and cook for 1 minute 2 Stir in the pumpkin, 4 cups of the stock, the herbs, add seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup, uncovered, until the vegetable are very soft, about 30-minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme branches, and puree the soup in a blender. 3. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the cream. If the soup in too thick, add more stock. correct the seasonings, adding salt and/or pepper. 4 Prepare the spice-scented whipped cream: Beat the cream to soft peaks in a chilled bowl. Whip in the spices and salt and pepper. 5 To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and place a dollop of the spice-scented whipped cream in the center of each. Sprinkle the cream wit the chives and serve it as once.