Pumpkin Tureen

Description
The next course is soup... and you do have all those pumpkins already right?

However, the hollow shell makes a picturesque and elegant soup tureen. A large pumpkin shell can hold enough soup for a family gathering or dinner parties while small pumpkin shells are just right for individual servings.
 * Contributed by Catsrecipes Y-Group

Ingredients

 * 1 a squat pumpkin

Preparing the pumpkin shell

 * 1) Select a squat pumpkin rather than one that is upright for balance. Field pumpkins used for jack-o-lanterns do not work well. The Cinderella variety or Rouge Vif d'Etampes, as well as many others has the ideal bowl shape.
 * 2) Start by washing the pumpkin in warm soapy water rinse well and dry.
 * 3) Using a sharp knife, insert the tip about ⅓ of the way down, and cut away the top to form a lid.
 * 4) Scoop out the seeds (reserve for roasting) and stringy mass.
 * 5) Lightly oil the pumpkin inside and out and sprinkle the inside with salt.
 * 6) Place the pumpkin and lid on a parchment lined baking sheet or spray with an oil cooking spray.
 * 7) Bake a 325°F for 1 to 1½ hours depending on the size of the shell. This is the tricky part. An over baked shell will not support the weight of the soup so under-baking is preferred.
 * 8) Bake the pumpkin shell until it begins to soften.
 * 9) Remove from the oven and cool.
 * 10) Gently scoop out some of the soft pumpkin from the wall, being careful not to puncture the shell.
 * 11) Scrape the cooked pumpkin from the lid as well.
 * 12) Use this cooked portion for a pumpkin soup or freeze it for later use.
 * 13) Ladle hot soup into the pumpkin and serve.
 * 14) The lid can be used as a cover or you can serve the soup uncovered.