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1
Preheat oven to 400u00b0F.
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2
Cut the sugar pumpkin in half. This will require a sharp knife and a little bit of muscle. Scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers. (I highly recommend keeping the seeds and roasting them. They're awesome.) Place the pumpkins cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour until they are very soft.
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3
Once the pumpkin is in the oven, prepare the candied bacon. Cut bacon slices in half and place on a rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the pecans, maple syrup, brown sugar and a little fresh ground pepper. Use a spoon to spread the pecan mixture onto each piece of bacon. Bake bacon for 20 minutes until the bacon is golden brown. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain any excess grease. Set aside until ready to use.
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4
About 10 minutes before pumpkins are ready, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. When hot, add the onion, carrots and celery and saute for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are tender. Add the ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, and then add the vegetable broth and maple syrup.
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5
Scoop the flesh from the cooked pumpkins (you should have about 2 cups) and add it to the soup. Simmer
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6
for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly and then puree using an immersion blender (fancy!), regular blender (you may have to do this in batches), or a food processor and return it to the pot. Season with salt to taste.
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7
Serve your soup warm topped with whole or crumbled candied bacon and get cozy. Happy fall, friends!
