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1
Cut the top 1/4 off 4 pumpkins, reserving the lids.
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2
Cut the remaining 4 pumpkins in half.
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3
Reserve seeds from 2 pumpkins.
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4
Bake the pumkins, cut side down, on lightly oiled baking sheets in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until they are tender.
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5
When they are cool enough to handle, scrape all the pulp out of the halved pumpkins.
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6
Scrape most of the pulp out of the remaining pumpkins, leaving just enough in each pumpkin so that it retains its shape.
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7
In a skillet cook the onion in butter over low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened.
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8
Add the pumpkin pulp, the chicken stock and the water and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes.
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9
Puree the mixture in batches in a blender and transfer it to a saucepan.
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10
Stir in salt and pepper to taste and water to thin the soup if necessary.
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11
Reduce the oven heat to 250 degrees.
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12
In a bowl, toss the reserved seeds with the oil and salt to taste and spread them out on an ungreased baking sheet.
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13
Bake the seeds in the middle of the oven, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours or until they are golden and crisp.
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14
Heat the soup and warm the hollowed out pumpkin shells in the oven.
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15
Arrange the shells in 4 soup plates, fill each shell with some of the soup and ladle some additional soup around each shell.
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16
Sprinkle some crumbled blue cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds on top of each soup and serve with the lid on top
