We owe the idea of baking things in pumpkins to the Native Americans. These indigenous people honored the sun’s return out of the longest night of the year, and the baked pumpkin – with its roundness and warm color - can remind us of the sun as we celebrate the winter solstice.

The dish makes such a festive presentation straight out of the oven: just place the baked pumpkin on a platter and surround with greens. And because our recipe makes use of the tender baked pumpkin flesh along with the simple, creamy soup, it is packed with perfect vitamin-rich winter nourishment.

INGREDIENTS
1 4 - 5 pound pumpkin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
2 teaspoons dried sage
3 cups good-quality vegetable broth
sea salt to taste
½ tablespoon butter, softened
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup light or heavy organic cream
freshly-ground white or black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

1. In a large saucepan, cook onion in olive oil over medium heat until translucent and softened. Add diced carrot and stir to coat with oil, then cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle vegetables with sage, stirring to coat.

2. Add vegetable broth and salt and bring to a boil.

3. Cut top off pumpkin and scrape out seeds and strings. Prick cavity with a fork and rub with softened butter.

4. Place pumpkin in a shallow baking pan and pour broth and vegetables into pumpkin cavity. Add about half an inch of hot water to the bottom of baking pan.

5. Bake for 1 ½ hours or until pumpkin is tender, adding water to pan as necessary to avoid sticking.

6. Carefully remove pumpkin from oven when done and add cream, parsley, and pepper, stirring gently before serving. Scrape some of the delicious tender pumpkin out to serve in the broth, being careful not to break the shell.

Serves 6.