PUNKING SOUP

There you have it, a homophone and two puns, all in one title - and possibly a triple entendre to boot. That should satisfy the language nerds. For everyone else, here's a recipe for some amazing Pumpkin Soup, just in time for Halloween.

Suitable for vegetarians.

You need:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1kg pumpkins or squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
700ml vegetable stock
142ml pot double cream
4 slices wholemeal seeded bread (optional)
2 tbspp olive oil (optional)
Few pumpkin seeds (optional)


Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan, then  cook 2 finely chopped onions for 5 mins on a medium heat until soft but not coloured.

Add 1kg peeled, deseeded and chopped pumpkin or squash to the pan. Continue cooking for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally until it starts to soften and turn golden.

Pour 700ml vegetable stock into the pan (for a good vegan stock recipe, click here), then season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins until the pumpkin is very soft. Pour the 142ml pot of double cream into the pan, bring back to the boil, then purée with a hand blender. The soup can now be frozen for up to 2 months.



Optional crouton madness!

While the soup is cooking, remove the crust (blasphemy amirite?!) from 4 slices of wholemeal seed bread, then cut the bread into small croutons. Heat the other 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, then fry the bread until it starts to become crisp. Add a handful of pumpkin seeds if you have them to the pan, then cook for a few mins more until they are toasted. These can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Reheat the soup if needed, taste for seasoning, then serve scattered with croutons and seeds and drizzled with more olive oil, if you want.

-CMC