So this is my favourite pumpkin soup recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do. I often freeze some ready for Christmas day starter too. Everyone joins in the final taste adjustments too which is a great way to connect and have fun. I find it very mindful too as it really helps me to slow down. As most of you know I am a mile a minute person left to my own devices. I need to slow down hence all that I offer and practice too. I love the warmth of the kitchen, the aroma as food cooks and the sense of peace and calm. My afternoon can pass so slowly in the most beautiful way. The sense of joy too once it is all cooked and to see people enjoying it is wonderful.
Be mindful and enjoy the results.
Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
25g/1oz unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium pumpkin (prepared weight about 850g/1lb 14oz) deseeded and roughly chopped
1 medium-sized floury potato, such as Maris Piper, roughly chopped
1 litre/1¾ pint vegetable or chicken stock, a little extra may be needed
100ml/3½fl oz double cream
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Put the onion, carrots, garlic bay leaf, butter and half the olive oil into a large pan. Cook over a low–medium heat for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender but not coloured.
Add the squash and potato, mix to combine and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Pour in the stock, season well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, half cover the pan with a lid and continue to cook for about 40 minutes until the squash is really tender when tested with the point of a knife.
Pick out the bay leaf and blend the soup until smooth using a stick blender.
Add the cream and a little more stock if the soup is on the thick side, taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as required.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the pumpkin seeds and fry quickly until the seeds start to pop. Remove from the pan.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a swirl of cream and the toasted pumpkin seeds.
ENJOY!!
Recipe Tips A large pumpkin will almost always have more water and less flavour than a small pumpkin. Top tip use smaller ones. You can make this soup with leftover roast butternut squash too, just reduce the simmering time to 15 minutes, just so the potato is cooked through.
Sometimes I add curry powder too with a little chilli powder. Makes it very warming on bonfire night if you have some left over. Maybe put some in the freezer.
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