1989 SOUP IN A PUMPKIN

2 1/2 cups lightly pressed down fresh crumbs from homemade type white bread, crust off
2 cups minced onions
4 ounces (1 stick) butter, plus 2 tablespoons or so soft butter
6- to 7-pound unblemished pumpkin
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Swiss cheese
2 to 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, brought to the simmer
Salt, freshly ground pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sage
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup lightly pressed down chopped fresh parsley

Spread the crumbs in a roasting pan and dry them out in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or so, once or twice tossing them about. They should hardly color.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and slowly cook the minced onions in it until the onions are tender and translucent, about 15 minutes. Toss the crumbs into the onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.

Cut a lid out of the pumpkin, scrape out seeds and strings and rub the inner flesh of pumpkin shell and its cover with the soft butter. Set pumpkin on lightly buttered pizza pan. (May be prepared in advance to this point.)

To bake the soup: turn crumb mixture into the pumpkin, stir in grated cheese and fill the pumpkin to within 2 inches of its top with hot chicken stock. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sage. Set pumpkin at once in lower level of a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake until the pumpkin has just softened, about 1 1/2 hours. Do not overcook or it will collapse.

You may keep it warm for half an hour or so in a 175-degree oven until ready to serve.

Just before serving, bring the cream (which is optional) to almost the simmer, then gently stir it into the soup. Add the parsley. Correct seasoning. At the table, ladle the soup into hot bowls, scraping off some of the flesh from inside the pumpkin as you do so.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.