Recipe of the week - Roasted Pumpkin Soup!

October 29, 2014 by Chef Justin from Justin's Food Company

Happy Halloween folks!

As we are flooded with pumpkins this time of year I would like to share with you my recipe for roasted pumpkin soup. Most people will just be carving them up for scary face lanterns, but they really are a tasty vegetable.

If you are carving a large pumpkin this Halloween it could be possible to make this soup from just your scrap cuttings. Also save the seeds, roasting them with a little oil and a pinch of sea salt makes them taste amazing, sprinkle them on top of your soup or just on their own as a snack.

You Will Need: (serves 4)

• 1 kg pumpkin peeled and cut into medium chunks
• 1 medium onion peeled and diced
• 1 large garlic clove peeled and sliced Olive or rapeseed oil
• 350ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 100ml milk (full fat or semi skimmed)
• Bread for dunking (optional)

The method in the madness: 

• Preheat oven to 200c or gas mark 5
• Place the pumpkin, onion and garlic into a large roasting tin, add a good drizzle of your chosen oil and a generous pinch of salt and give the mixture a good toss to coat all ingredients.
• Place the tray into the oven and roast for 40-45 minutes until all the vegetables are soft stirring every 10-15 minutes.
• Whilst this is happening, if you have chosen to save your pumpkin seeds place them in a bowl drizzle with a little oil add a pinch of rock salt then place onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for roughly the same time, they should be golden in colour and crunchy to taste.
• Once your vegetables are soft place them into a food processor or if you are using a stick blender then into a saucepan.
• Add the stock and blend until smooth.
• Have a taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• If not already in one, then transfer to a saucepan and stir in the milk.
• Place the soup in your chosen bowls, sprinkle with the seeds and you are ready to eat

Enjoy Halloween guys, next week I will be starting vegetarian / vegan recipe of the week which will be continued every first week in every month.