Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Preheat the cooking vessel by heating a generous amount of olive oil over a moderately high temperature. Introduce the onion into the pot and engage in periodic stirring until it has undergone a noticeable change in color and texture, approximately 10 minutes. Add the peppercorns, garlic, and thyme to the pot and stir frequently until the mixture emits a pleasant aroma and develops a few shades of darker color, roughly 2 minutes.

Mix the pumpkin puree into the pot; cook while stirring occasionally until the puree has darkened in hue, around 5 minutes. Combine the chicken stock, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in the pot; bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over a lower heat setting. Allow the soup to cook, uncovered and with periodic stirring, until it has slightly reduced in volume and the flavors have melded together, roughly 30 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender in batches; secure the lid on the blender and remove the center piece to permit steam to escape. Cover the opening with a clean towel; blend until smooth, approximately 30 seconds per batch. Return the soup to the pot and stir in heavy cream; cook over a moderate heat until heated through, roughly 4 minutes.

Add the heavy cream to the pot once more; cook over a moderate heat until heated through, approximately 4 minutes.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.