1 cup Butter
1 cup Onion, diced
½ cup Leeks, sliced white parts only
½ cup Celery, diced
4 lbs Sugar Pie Pumpkin, or Butternut Squash
2 qts Chicken Stock
2 each Bay Leaves
5 each Cilantro, stems and leaves
5 each Parsley, stems and leaves
5 each Thyme, stems and leaves
1 cup Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375°. Cut pumpkins in half and remove seeds and pulp. On a greased sheet tray, place pumpkins flat side down and brush skins with oil. Bake for one hour or until flesh is soft and caramelized. When cool enough to handle but still warm, scoop out flesh and set aside.
While pumpkin bakes, melt ½ cup of butter in a heavy stockpot. Add onions, shallots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, being careful not to brown the vegetables.
Place the bay leaves, cilantro, parsley and thyme in a cheesecloth and secure with string. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add pumpkin and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cheesecloth bouquet.
In small batches purée soup in blender, adding a little cream each time. Purée only a little at a time, with a towel over the top, as hot food expands in a blender.
To finish, warm soup and stir in ½ cup of butter.
Do not boil or it will separate. Garnish with chopped chives