Easy As Pumpkin Soup

Since meeting Mr Mel back in 2005, I have had to listen to his constant running down of the majestic pumpkin. Until he ran into my Easy As Pumpkin Soup......

My favourite is the Kent, probably because I grew up on it, our meals as kids were meat (generally chops), with potato, pumpkin & peas. Because both of my parents worked, I was the vegie prepper, and I loved it, I still love chopping/prepping food for cooking.  I would battle with the biggest knife we had (yes not the safest thing to do as a 10 year old on her own with younger sister), and would carve pieces from the whole Kent pumpkin. 

Kent Pumpkin, aka Jap Pumpkin

On Sunday morning we were up and at it doing some household chores, I was washing clothes, Mr Mel washing cars, Mr Mel called out what do you wanna do for dinner. I couldn't be bothered getting dressed more than I was, to go out, so searched through the kitchen. Sitting in the fridge was 1/2 a Kent pumpkin, and in the freezer some left over home made sweet potato chips, and some sourdough rolls from a few weeks back.  So I thought pumpkin soup, this was at around 11am, by 12pm we were sitting down having a delicious lunch, sooooo easy.

My recipe is:

• 1/2 peeled and chopped Kent pumpkin (about 3cm cubes)
• 1 sweet potato, peeled & chopped as per pumpkin
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon ricebran or grapeseed oil
• 1 litre vegetable stock

- in a large saucepan, sweat onion, with garlic, mustard seeds & curry powder in grapeseed or rice bran oil, just till really starts to smell yummy, no colour

- add pumpkin, sweet potato & stock, bring to the boil, then reduce to simmer for 30 mins

- scoop out all the pumpkin & onion with a slotted spoon into food processor

- add a couple of ladels of left over stock from saucepan (tip out the rest, or freeze to use again later)

- blitz in processor till smooth

- pour processor mix back into saucepan

- on low heat, add 1/2 tub (I think it's about 125ml) cream, grate about a 2 teaspoons of nutmeg, add salt and pepper to taste, not too much cause add it in when serving too, mix it all together

- once all mixed and warmed through serve, with a crack of black pepper over the top, and a spoon full of sour cream if you like, we've had it with and without

- next day might need to add a bit of water/milk to thin it out, but not much, I like it thick, but depends on taste

I put my faith in the pumpkin and am pleased to report that my pumpkin soup has become a favourite of Mr Mel's, I've even got him eating pumpkin risotto, enjoying caramelised roast pumpkin, and sharing a pumpkin & goats cheese salad with me when we head out for dinner.

Conversion complete :-)

I've also made a lovely pumpkin soup grating then sweating the pumpkin, but this ones alot quicker.


Till next time,