TOASTY ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

The Simple Dinner Edit by Nicole Maguire

The comfort of a delicious pumpkin soup is one thing, but actually taking the time out of your day to prepare it is another. This method of roasting butternut pumpkin halves and scooping out the gloriously soft flesh revolutionised pumpkin soup for me. You do not have to peel or cut up the butternut pumpkin – this alone is enough for this recipe to be a winner and encourages me to actually make it! In 10 minutes, you’ll have the makings of the best pumpkin soup you’ll ever eat, with a deep, toasty flavour. This makes a generous batch, perfect for freezing and eating later. I like to top mine with a dollop of sour cream, some finely chopped chives and chilli flakes and serve it with crusty sourdough bread or a big chunk of freezer-friendly garlic bread. I know I won’t be able to eat regular pumpkin soup ever again!

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

COOK TIME: 1 hour 40 minutes

SERVES: 4–6

Ingredients:

2 butternut pumpkins, halved lengthways, seeds removed

2 large onions, halved

2 whole garlic bulbs, skin on, tops sliced off (see Note 1)

80 ml (­1/2 cup) olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus extra

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra

1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock (at room temperature)

sour cream, to serve (optional)

chives, finely chopped, to serve (optional)

chilli flakes, to serve (optional)

sourdough bread, sliced, to serve

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced.

Arrange the pumpkin, onion and garlic on a eep baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Roast for 45 minutes. Add 125 ml (½ cup) water and cover with foil – this will ensure the vegetables don’t burn and speed up the cooking time. Roast for a further 45 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft enough to be pierced

easily with a fork.

Once the vegetables have cooled slightly, use your fingers to squeeze the garlic flesh from its skin. Scoop the pumpkin flesh out of its skin with a spoon and transfer to a large stockpot on the stovetop with the cooked onion and garlic. Add the chicken stock to the pot and blend to your desired consistency using a and-held blender. Heat the soup on medium–high heat and simmer until it is warmed through.

Season the soup with extra salt and pepper, top with the sour cream, chives and chilli flakes (if using) and serve with the sourdough bread on the side.