Pumpkin Soup

This week I have been featuring a series of recipes using pumpkin on the blog. So far we have had Pumpkin Risotto and Pumpkin Pie, so to complete my pumpkin series, today I am featuring Pumpkin Soup.

I love it when food creates a memory, and I love when food evokes happy memories. This time last year we went to Berlin to visit our lovely friends. To combat the sub zero snowy temperatures outside, our friend Adam welcomed us by making some delicious Pumpkin Soup to warm us up. It tasted so delicious and I always remember that 'first meal' in Berlin. We had a fantastic time in one of our favourite cities spending time with our friends and visiting the wonderful Christmas markets. The kids loved the local playgrounds and loved playing with their friends too. We don't see our friends enough due to the distance between us and sadly we haven't managed to get over to Berlin to visit them this year, so eating Pumpkin Soup reminds me of our friends wonderful hospitality, the lovely time that we had there and how much I want to go back. I think I could easily live in Berlin and would love to one day.

Pumpkin Soup is a delicious Autumn and Winter warmer. It is a great way to use up pumpkin left over from Thanksgiving or Halloween, and makes a great starter for Christmas Day. You could also use half pumpkin and half butternut squash rather than just pumpkin to make this soup.

This recipe is based on a recipe by Barney Desmazery. I added the garlic, cumin and chilli powder to give the recipe extra flavour, and also added coconut milk to give it an extra kick.

Ingredients
4 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Onions, finely chopped
800g Pumpkin, chopped
700ml Vegetable Stock
2 cloves Garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Chilli Powder
150 ml Coconut Milk
142ml pot Double Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

1. On a medium heat, gently cook the onions and crushed garlic in two tbsp of the olive oil until soft.
2. Add the pumpkin, cumin and chilli to the pan with an extra tbsp of oil, and cook for a further 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally until the pumpkin begins to soften. 
3. Add the vegetable stock to the pan and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Pour the cream and coconut milk into the pan, bring back to the boil and cook for another 5 minutes. 
4. Allow to cook a little and then puree the mixture until smooth.
5. Serve immediately or cool and store to eat later.

This recipe can be refrigerated or frozen.