Pumpkin & Broccoli Chowder

4 T Butter or mild vegetable oil

1 lg Onion, chopped

1 T Tamari or shoyu soy sauce

1 Ripe tomato, diced, peel if

-you like 4 c Chicken stock

4 c Fresh pumpkin or butternut

-squash puree; or use canned 1 T Maple syrup or honey

Salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper -to taste 1 bn Broccoli, tops cut into

-small flowerets, stems -julienned into strips -1/4x1" 1/2 c Heavy (whipping) cream

(From "Soup and Bread: A Country Inn Cookbook" by Crescent Dragonwagon. Workman Publishing; $12.95) In a 10" skillet, melt the butter or heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute slowly until almost limp but not brown, about 6-7 minutes. Add the tamari or soy sauce and the tomato. Cook, stirring often, until the tomato`s juice has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Transfer the saute to a soup pot. Deglaze the saute pan with a little of the stock, and add the pan contents, plus the remainder of the stock to the soup pot. Add the pumpkin or squash puree, the maple syrup or honey, salt and a touch of freshly ground black pepper. Heat, stirring often. Separately, in a small pot with a tightly fitting lid, steam the broccoli flowerets and stems until tender-crisp (they should be a bright green), about 3-4 minutes. Stir the steamed broccoli into the soup, then stir in the cream. Let the soup cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot and the flavors have blended, 8-10 minutes.