Jamaican Pumpkin and Chicken Soup

This is a hearty, rich soup with a hint of sweet and a pleasantly warming heat to it.  It is perfect as cold weather descends, and of course when pumpkins are readily available inexpensively as failed jack-o-lanterns.

Ingredients:

• 4 c. water
• 4 c. chicken stock
• (alternately, 8 c. broth instead of water/stock)
• 1-2 pounds chicken with bones
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced thickly (or 1 small bag of baby carrots)
• 2-3 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 small pumpkin (this is not the mini decorative pumpkins) or butternut squash
• 2 large or 4 small onions, quartered
• 3-4 red potatoes
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper (habañero can be substituted)
• 1 scallion
• 4 large sprigs fresh time, or 2 tsp dried
• 4 tsp ground black pepper
• salt to taste

for dumplings, optional:

• 1 3/4 c. flour
• 3/4 c. water
• 2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out stringy insides and seeds.  (Save the seeds for roasting later, if desired!)
2. Cut remaining flesh into roughly 2-inch square pieces and cut off skin.
3. Combine water, stock, pumpkin, chicken, carrots, onions, and half the seasonings in a large pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer until chicken is cooked through and carrots are mostly cooked.  Top off water if necessary as it cooks.
4. While it cooks, cut potatoes into roughly 1-inch squares.  If making dumplings, combine ingredients at this time and knead until the dough is very firm, then form into dumplings.
5. If desired, pull out the chicken and remove bones and skin, then replace meat.
6. Add potatoes, dumplings, scallion, scotch bonnet pepper, and remaining seasonings.
7. Simmer until potatoes and dumplings are fully cooked.

Serve and enjoy!


Excellent paired with Pumpkin Biscuits!

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Featured on the Examiner.com article, Pumpkins good for more than decorations during Halloween and Thanksgiving season.

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