Roast Pumpkin Soup
Easy, breezy, beautiful pumpkin soup - because you’re worth it.
Hello Brisbane. It’s raining yet again. I am loving this gloomy weather. The change in seasons is finally coming and it’s finally starting to cool down. It’s the best time of year to pick up running. The cooler months make it easier to begin running, it’s still warm enough to be comfortable in those hot weather exercise clothes - you ho. Cooler weather also means we can eat soup, ramen and heartier dishes.
I love a good pumpkin. I love most things with pumpkins in it. I think pumpkins can swing either way - sweet or savoury. They are super versatile and often overlooked. It’s okay though I got you. Pumpkin soup can be FIRE and this soup is PURE FLAMES!
Serves 4
The Soup
1 - 1.5 kg / half a super ripe butternut, kent or jap pumpkin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
salt
olive oil
3 sprigs thyme
1 leek, white part chopped
2 small brown onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 zucchini or small squash varieties (kabocha/ acorn), chopped (I leave skin on)
1 L chicken stock/vegetable stock/water
3 Tbs butter
salt and pepper
To make the soup
Preheat your oven to 200’C fan forced, 220’C conventional. Prepare a baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut your pumpkin into wedges and remove the seeds and reserve them to the side (leave your skin on).
Rub your pumpkin in olive oil and dust with paprika and cumin, then sprinkle with salt.
Place pumpkin wedges onto baking sheet/tray and roast for 20-25 minutes. Once soft and roasted, remove from oven and put aside. (You will be able to remove the flesh easily from the skins).
Whilst the pumpkin is roasting, put a large pot on the stove over a medium heat.
Place 1-2 Tbs of oil into the pot.
Add chopped onion and sauté until soft.
Then add leek and garlic and sauté until softened.
Add in thyme and squash and stir for 1 minute.
Place roast pumpkin (skin removed) and 1 - 2 tbs of butter into the pot and stir until the butter has melted.
Pour in stock/water until it just covers the contents of the pot (you might not use the prescribed amount) and simmer for 5 to ten minutes.
Put contents of pot into a blender/food processor or use a bar mixer to process until smooth and thick.
Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, accordingly.
The topper
1 tsp sumac
1 tsp ground cumin
salt
1 - 2 Tbs olive oil
tinned chickpeas, drained and dried with paper towel
pumpkin seeds (reserved from pumpkin used in soup)
To make the topper
Preheat your oven to 200’C fan forced, 220’C conventional. Prepare a baking sheet with baking paper.
Place dried chickpeas and pumpkin seeds (if using) into a bowl, drizzle with olive then add the sumac, cumin and salt. Toss until coated.
Spread chickpeas and seeds over baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes until the chickpeas are toasted.
To Serve
Ladle soup into a bowl and sprinkle over topper.
Serve with butter-lathered toast or garlic bread.
Notes:
* You can make this into a pasta like my mumma used to do. Simply leave the soup a little thicker (add less stock) and ladle over pasta then top with roast macadamias and parmesan. It’s so good.
final thoughts…
Does anybody know when the new MasterChef starts? Give me a damn start date! I don’t think you need to be that hush hush about it or nobody will even watch the first episode. SRSLY!
Musically, I have regressed to 16 year old emo fan bby. Listen to this State Champs.
Finally, I hope you all had a fabulous Easter. I will put up some Easter relevant recipes soon so we all have an outlet for the excess in eggs we are experiencing.
Amelia xx