Spicy Caribbean Pumpkin Soup

After a long time away here is a post just in time for the Holidays. I recently entered this dish in my office's monthly cookoff...and won Battle: Pumpkin! This soup has a lot of ingredients that all play a vital role in delivering an unexpected flavor punch.

Spicy Caribbean Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6

3 Tbl. Butter
1 Tbl. Oil
½ Red Onion, diced
2 Tbl. Garlic, minced
½ Red bell pepper, diced
2 small Potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tsp. fresh Ginger, minced
1 tsp. of Cumin
1 Tbl. Of Chili Powder
½ tsp. Of Allspice
½ tsp. of ground Cloves
½ tsp. of Nutmeg
½ tsp. of Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. of Cinnamon
1 tsp. of Curry Powder
1 Tbl. Of Salt
2 tsp. of Pepper
1 can of Pumpkin
1 can of Creamed Corn
1 can of Coconut Milk
½ small can of Pineapple Chunks
¼ C. of Brown Sugar
½ tsp. of Srirachi Chili Sauce
Juice of 1 Lime
1 C. of Chicken Broth

- In large pot, melt butter and oil. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, potatoes. Sauté until translucent
- To pot, add ginger, cumin, chili powder, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, curry powder, salt and pepper until all ingredients are coated
- Now add pumpkin, creamed corn, coconut milk, pineapple chunks, brown sugar, srirachi chili sauce, lime juice and chicken broth
- Cook all ingredients together until it simmers
- Immersion blender method: Remove pot from heat. Insert immersion blender and blend until soup is smooth.
- Traditional blender method: In batches, carefully ladle hot soup into blender, cover hole with dish towel or napkin, blend until smoothed
- Serve with a dollop of sour cream and/or chopped cilantro