HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN SOUP

On Hallowing night if yo are in need for some inspiration here is a delicious pumpkin soup which can also be adapted with butternut squash served with cream / vegan cream and sprinkled with seeds, enjoy !

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

1. 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.

2. Add the pumpkin and potato, mix to combine and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper 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.

3. Pick out the bay leaf and blend the soup until smooth using a stick blender.

4. 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.

5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and fry quickly until the seeds start to pop. Remove from the pan.

6. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with a swirl of cream and the toasted pumpkin seeds.