Cut an 8-inch square of cheesecloth, and place
the cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme and parsley (set the minced
parsley aside) in the center. Bring up the ends to form a bag and
tie securely with kitchen twine. Set aside.
In a 6- to 8-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Swirl to coat the pan and saute the garlic and leeks, stirring frequently
until softened but not browned (about 5 minutes). Add the cinnamon
and saute for another minute. Add the potato and pumpkin, the stock
and the bag of spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer,
covered, until the potato and pumpkin are tender when pierced with
a fork (about 20 minutes). Discard the bag of spices.
Cool the soup slightly; then puree in batches in a blender or a food
processor. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan. Add the half-and-half,
salt, sugar, cayenne and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook over
low heat until heated through, but do not boil. Garnish with minced
parsley.
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