Velvety Pumpkin Soup with Blue Cheese and Bacon

Ingredients

Contains: milk (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 2 (15 ounce) cans pumpkin
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Move it to a paper towel to drain, then crumble it and set it aside.

2. Pour off all but about a teaspoon of the bacon fat, leaving the pot over medium heat. Add the butter and minced shallot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until softened.

3. Stir in the pumpkin pie spice and cayenne pepper and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. Add the pumpkin, chicken stock, molasses and salt. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup is hot and the flavors have blended.

6. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the half-and-half until smooth. Blend with an immersion blender until velvety, or use a regular blender in batches.

7. Reheat gently over low heat without boiling if needed. Taste and adjust the salt.

8. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with crumbled blue cheese and the reserved bacon.