Pumpkin is absolutely Soup of the Month for October – no prizes for guessing why.
This recipe by our good friend Chef Dan at Kitche, the food waste fighting app, has been tried and tested by us and found to be totally delicious.
It uses the whole pumpkin – yes, even that mega-tough skin, which adds taste and texture.
The seeds can also be roasted and added as a finishing touch. Unfortunately, I never got to try this part of the recipe because in our house anything that is not nailed down gets thrown in the Green Johanna by my husband. That’s what happened to my pumpkin seeds when my back was turned. Never mind, it gives me an excuse to make another batch of this delicious autumn warming soup.
Serves – 4
Time – 1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
1 medium large pumpkin
3 large onions
3-4 garlic cloves,
Olive oil
1 litre vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk (optional)
Sprig of rosemary
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Method
1. Wash, cut in half and gut your pumpkin, making sure to separate the flesh and seeds. (You may want to slap a sign on the seeds saying DO NOT COMPOST).
2. Crush garlic and finely chop the onions and add them to the pan, add oil and simmer until slightly golden.
3. Chop remaining pumpkin into large cubes and add them to a large pan with the pulp.
4. Finely chop your rosemary and add to the pan with your bay leaves, which you can leave whole.
5. Add your veg stock, making sure the ingredients are covered.
6. Add coconut milk if using.
7. Put on lid and let the pan come to the boil. Once bubbling, turn the heat down so the soup is simmering. Sort out the seeds while waiting.
8. The soup will take at least an hour to cook. Make sure the pumpkin skin is soft (this can take a little longer depending on the type of pumpkin).
9. Once it is ready, remember to take out the bay leaves and add salt and pepper to taste. Use a hand blender to make the soup smooth and creamy. Add water if required until it is your desired consistency. Can be stored in the fridge or freezer.
What to do with your pumpkin seeds?
The seeds make a great garnish. Lay them out on a baking tray and lightly salt them. They only take 5 – 10 minutes and burn easily. If you don’t want the seeds on soup, save them till spring and plant them in your garden.
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I also like this idea for pumpkin seeds from the organic online store Abel and Cole:
Give seeds a rinse, then toss in a little olive oil, salt and paprika and fry them for 5 minutes until golden brown – a great snack to serve at Halloween parties.
Julie
