Pumpkin Spiced Soup

For me, Halloween doesn’t just mean getting to dress up and watch scary movies. It also means that it’s the time of the year when my Dad makes the best. soup known to man. Obviously I haven’t tried every soup on Earth, but I highly doubt it gets much better than this. It is the perfect soup for those who wonder what pure autumnal goodness tastes like.

This recipe makes roughly 6-10 portions (dependent on how big you like you portions – in my family this makes six), and it is also vegan!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium pumpkin (Tip: if you buy the pumpkin just after the 31st, they’re usually being sold extra cheap!)
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1.5 litres vegetable stock (use stocks cubes for speed if you like)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Olive oil 
• (Optional) 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
• To garnish: finely chopped chives and soured cream (non-vegan edition)

Dry Spice Rub Ingredients:

• 1 heaped teaspoon cumin
• 1 heaped teaspoon paprika (smoked if possible)
• 1 heaped teaspoon cayenne pepper
• (Optional) 1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Salt and pepper to season

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees. In a large saucepan sweat off the onions, crushed garlic, chopped chilli (optional) and a pinch of the dry rub in a little oil over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add the stock to the onions. Bring to the boil then simmer.
3. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the pumpkin into large pieces. Cut off the fibrous centre and discard, retaining the seeds (clean, rinse and dry them). Cut off all the skin leaving just the flesh of the pumpkin, which should then be cut into palm size pieces.
4. Place the pumpkin pieces in a large ovenproof dish, sprinkle the dry rub mix over and toss the pumpkin to ensure an even coating. Sprinkle with olive oil and toss again to coat. 
5. Roast the pumkin in the oven for 20 minutes or so until it browns slightly.
6. Soak the pumpkin seeds in salted water for a minimum of 1 hour (ideally overnight) and then rinse and dry them off (this helps remove/break down the outer coat). Place the seeds in a bowl, add a small amount of oil, a large pinch of salt and cayenne pepper and mix to ensure an even coating. Lay out as a thin layer on a large baking tray lined with tin foil or greaseproof paper and oven roast for 5-10 minutes until light golden in colour, then retain for the garnish or a healthy snack!
7. Retain 1/2 litre of the onion stock mix in a separate jug. Then, add the roasted pumpkin to the main stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Use a blender to blitz the pumpkin to a smooth consistency. Add some of the remaining stock and blitz again. Add more of the remaining stock if required, and blitz again, until the soup is at your desired consistency. If further liquid is needed, add boiling water in stages.
9. Dish the soup up while it is still hot, and garnish with chopped chives, pumpkin seeds and soured cream (optional).

• Autumn
• cooking
• halloween
• pumpkin
• recipes
• seasonal