- 1 large white pumpkin or orange pumpkin (5 to 6 pounds)
- 1 small orange pumpkin
- 2½ quarts Chicken Stock
- 1 whole chicken breast
- ½ pound fresh speckled butter beans, fava beans, or lima beans, shelled
- 6 fresh cornichons, halved, or 1 small Kirby cucumber, cut into 2-inch julienne
- 8 ears baby sweet corn, husked
- 1 medium-size hot red frying pepper-stemmed, seeded, deveined, and cut into julienne
- 1 small yellow bell pepper-stemmed, seeded, deveined, and cut into julienne
- 1 ripe yellow tomato-peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped with juices reserved
- 1 ripe red tomato-peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped with juices reserved
- 3 scallions, including some of the green, cut into 2-inch julienne
- 1 medium-firm ripe peach, peeled and cut into eighths
- 3 Seckle pears, thinly sliced
- 3 fresh figs, cut into ¼ inch slices
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
- The tureen: Cut a round “lid” in the top of the large pumpkin. The stem will serve as the “handle.” Scoop out the seeds and loose fiber. Return the “lid” and set aside.
- The soup: Seed the smaller pumpkin and dice the flesh into ½-inch cubes. Measure out 1 cup of flesh and reserve the remainder for another use. Remove the outer skin; reserve. In a large kettle, bring 1 quart of the chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, add the chicken breast and simmer until cooked through. Removed with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
- When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat. Skim off any foam from the top of the stock. Bring the stock back to a mild boil and cook the butter beans until almost tender. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and reserve. Bring the stock back to a mild boil and cook the butter beans until almost tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
- Pour the remaining ½ quart chicken stock into a large pot. Strain the poaching stock through a fine mesh sieve into the large pot of stock. Bring the stock to a light boil and add the cornichons, baby corn, peppers, and tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the scallions, the reserved beans, pumpkin, fruits, and shredded chicken and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Check for seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the soup into the pumpkin tureen and serve.