Hi Tizzy, I used one of those immersion blenders (stick blenders) and blended it right in the pot (after it was cooked) to puree it. I happen to prefer it to be a really smooth consistency, but I guess you could always leave it chunky too if you like. Also, as the soup cooks, the squash pretty much falls apart and gets really mushy so it practically gets pureed consistency on its own.
Here's the recipe I use:
Jamaican style pumpkin soup
1 medium onion diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1/4 cup of butter (about 1/2 a stick)
1 Tablespoon turmeric
1 Tablespoon curry powder
3 cups Calabaza pumpkin – peeled and chopped into cubes
1/4 cup cream
water (about 3-4 cups)
salt (about 1/2 teaspoon)
black pepper
dash of Nutmeg - (optional)
Melt butter on medium heat in a deep pot (on high heat the butter will burn very quickly). Then add the onions, carrots, garlic and celery to the pot. Allow this to cook until the onion is tender (about 3-5 minutes). Then add a dash of black pepper, curry powder and turmeric, and allow to cook for about 3 minutes while stirring.
Next add the cubed pieces of pumpkin and stir, then add enough water to cover the pumpkin, and bring to a boil, then turn back down to a simmer.
Add the salt, cover and let the soup cook on low heat for about 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is really tender. If you find that it’s becoming too thick or sticking to pot, you can add a bit more water. You can also add a dash of nutmeg if you like. I prefer to leave out the nutmeg, but it's good either way. Lastly, add the cream and blend or puree into a smooth soup. I used one of those immersion blenders to get the smooth consistency, but you can always use a blender, just be careful of splashing the hot soup. Enjoy!