Pumpkin Soup

Delicious as a quick lunch, or with bread and some cold roast ham or chicken as a supper. This healthy and cholesterol-free pumpkin soup soup is very creamy tasting - but definitely doesn't feature any cream...!

Ingredients

  • Pumpkin (half a small one)
  • 1 medium Onion
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1 stick Celery
  • 1 small Potato
  • Veg Stock or Bouillon
  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • Bit of White Wine or Vermouth

I used half a Pumpkin – but use whatever amount you think is sensible… Cut the Pumpkin into slices or chunks – making sure they are all vaguely similar (so they cook at roughly the same time)

Cook them at 180˚c for about half an hour – or a little longer – making sure they don’t burn or brown too much (cover them with foil if they start).  When the are cooked and cooled – peel the skin off the pieces of Pumpkin

[NB - you could just boil the Pumpkin (peeled already, I reckon). I think roasting it makes the flavour sweeter, but you might disagree...]

Meanwhile, gently fry a chopped Onion, a chopped stick of Celery, and a chopped Carrot in a little olive oil for 15 minutes or so on a low heat so the mixture don’t brown.  When they are soft – add a crushed clove of Garlic and stir while the garlic cooks through (without burning)

Splosh a bit of White Wine or Vermouth in when the garlic has had a couple of minutes – and cook off until the liquid and alcohol has gone

Add 2 or 3 mugs of water – a bay leaf – and a teaspoon of Vegetable Bouillon.  Season the soup well, put a lid on and gently simmer for 15 mins or so until the vegetables are cooked. When they are, add the pumpkin chunks, remove the bay leaf and put the soup into a liquidiser (or use one of those smart stick things) to whizz the soup until smooth

Heat again if necessary – and serve with a few croutons of brown bread and lots of black pepper

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