Pumpkin soup with gruyere cheese

THE STOCK

• Seeds and scraping from the pumpkin or squash
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalked plus some leaves chopped into small pieces
• 1 turnip peeled and diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 t dry sage or 5-6 fresh leaves
• 4 parseley branches
• 3 thyme branches
• 1/2 t salt
• 8 Cup of cold water

Cut the pumpkin  or squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Put them in a pot with the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes then strain.

THE SOUP

• 1 pumpkin or squash (about 2 1/2 lb) halved and scooped out
• 3 T butter
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1/2 to 1 t salt
• 6 - 7 Cups stock
• 1/2 to 1 Cup light cream
• white pepper
• 3 ounces Gruyère cheese grated
• Thyme leaves finely chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400°F.Bake pumpkin face down on a lightl oiled baking sheet until the skin is wrinkled and the flesh is soft, about 1 hour..Let cool, Peel off the skin.
Melt butter in a soup pot, add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooked pumpkin any juice if any,salt and 6  Cups of stock.Simmer covered 25 minutes.
Pass through a food mill or a blender depending if you like it more or less structured..Return to the pot add the cream and more stock if it needs thinning..Season with salt and pepper.Stir in the cheese and serve the soup with the thyme leaves scattered over it.
Serves 4-6
It is ok to use alrady made chicken stock instead. The thyme leaves are optional.