Pumpkin is in season at the moment, so make the most of nature's bounty by cooking up a warming soup this weekend.
You can use any vegetables you like really, if pumpkin's not your thing. But the beauty of it lies in the simple cooking process.
Chop up your vegetables, pour over some oil and seasonings, roast for an hour, pour it into a pan, add some stock, and you're good to go.
Serve with some nice crusty bread and butter, and you've got yourself a great dinner or weekend lunch. Soup is also a great option for a packed lunch, or for freezing for a night when you don't feel like cooking.
Try anything that you enjoy roasted – roast parsnip and suede would be nice; red capsicum and tomato; or even red onion and sweet potato.
Ingredients1 whole medium pumpkin, any variety, with the skin on, seeds removed
1 bulb garlic
2 red onions
Olive oil, for roasting
1L chicken stock
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
DirectionsPreheat your oven to 180°C and grease some baking trays.
Chop the pumpkin into medium size pieces, leaving the skin on.
Peel and quarter the onions and place these with the pumpkin on the trays. Get rid of the excess skin from the garlic, divide into individual cloves and spread across the baking trays.
Cover your vegetables with olive oil, and then add the spices and seasoning. Slide the vegetables around the trays so that they are covered with oil on both sides.
Place in the oven and bake, turning half way through, for around an hour or until the vegetables are soft.
Remove from the oven and squeeze out the sweet centres of the garlic. Discard the skins.
Place everything into a large soup pot, bash it together with a potato masher, and then add your stock. Use a stick mixer or blender to puree the soup – yes even the softened pumpkin skin (it will blend right down and it's actually quite good for you). You may need to add more stock depending on the consistency that you like.
Bring to the boil on the stove and then turn down the heat. Keep stirring it to avoid air bubbles forming. Place into bowls to serve.
If you like you could add a splash of cream, sour cream or natural yoghurt. I enjoyed it straight up, and I'm sure you will too.
