Pumpkin Soup with Sage and Ham

Ingredients

• 1  bay leaf 
• 3 tablespoons butter 
• 2 cups pumpkin puree canned from one 29-ounce can
• 1  carrots chopped
• 1 rib celery chopped
• 2.5 cups chicken broth low-sodium homemade canned
• 1 tablespoon sage dried
• 0.3 cup cooking wine dry white
• 0.3 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper black
• 1.5 pounds ham cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1  onion chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons salt 
• 0.5  baking apples are apples that have a sweet-tart balance and hold their shape when such as granny smith, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3.5 cups water 

Equipment

• pot

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over moderate heat.
2. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the pumpkin puree, wine, sage, and bay leaf.
4. Add the water, broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
5. Add the ham and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
6. Remove the bay leaf.
7. Let a cool sauvignon blanc or Fum Blanc from California bring its own combination of fruit and herbal flavors into play with the apple and sage of the soup.