Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 1 butternut pumpkin (or whatever pumpkin you’ve been gifted)

• 2 Granny Smith apples cored, and quartered

• 2 medium onion quartered

• 3 garlic cloves leave the skin on

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• salt

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (more to taste)

• 2 cups vegetable stock

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish (optional):

• pomegranate arils

• pumpkin seeds

• fresh parsley finely chopped

• sour cream, yoghurt or creme fraiche if you like.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.

Roasting the pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice each half again into quarters. Place the pumpkin quarters and onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for twenty minutes, then add the garlic and apple wedges. Flip the pumpkin and roast for another twenty minutes, or until the flesh is tender.

Blending

Carefully scoop the roasted pumpkin flesh (discarding the skin) into a high-speed blender. Add the apple, onion, garlic (remove the skin), cayenne pepper, and vegetable stock. Blend for two minutes, or until silky smooth. If it’s too thick, add a bit more stock and blend again. Season with salt and pepper,

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, yoghurt or creme fraiche and a sprinkle of parsley, pumpkin seeds or pomegranate arils.

Seasonal Kitchen