A PUMPKIN BY ANY OTHER NAME.... MIGHT BE A SQUASH.

So I'm still wandering aimlessly in the pumpkin patch but at least the vegetable version is an antidote to a sugar crash-and-burn rather than a contributing factor. I got this pumpkin at the market last week and I used it to make pumpkin soup last night, though with it's pretty red skin and buttery orange flesh I was reluctant to chop it into little pieces. I think it is a red onion squash but I'm open to correction. It was my first time cooking with pumpkin and I was hoping to be a bit more adventurous but a favourite book of my daughter's called Pumpkin Soup led to very loud demands which refused to be ignored.

No real recipe as such, I decided to roast the pumpkin flesh first as apparently it improves the flavour and I chose sage because it is the only herb that looked reasonably alert in my neglected herb trough. Go easy on the sage as it is a bit of a bully and will overpower the sweetness of the pumpkin. The pinch of sugar and the cinnamon are there because the pumpkin said they were good friends and insisted they come along. I'm going to try the soup again with rosemary, thyme and a little chilli instead of the sage, I'll let you know if all goes well. In the meantime this is perfect in a flask for a late autumn picnic though with our mild weather at the moment you could probably leave the mittens at home.

P.S. I managed to say "pumpkin" 15 times in this short post (now it's 16).

ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

• I pumpkin, approx. 1.2kg unpeeled weight
• 1 small onion, cut into wedges
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• few tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tsp soft brown sugar
• pinch of cinnamon
• 4-5 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, whole
• salt & pepper to season

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Cut the pumpkin into wedges to make it easier to peel, then scoop out the seeds, peel off the skin and cut into large chunks. Place the pumpkin, onion and garlic cloves in a large roasting tin and toss with the olive oil, sugar, cinnamon and sage. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the pumpkin is soft and coloured at the edges.
2. Put everything in a large pot with 750ml of the stock, if you want to squeeze the now squishy garlic out of it's papery skin and add this to the pumpkin in the pot, otherwise just remove them at this stage. Heat through until just bubbling then blend until smooth adding more stock to get the consistency you prefer. If the soup is still too thick for you just add some water.
3. Reheat gently then serve with your favourite crusty bread. You could add an optional garnish of sage leaves fried until crisp in butter but bear in mind the strong flavour of the sage.

Serves 4.

Comments

[rachel]

It looks super yummy.

[Lydia]

Love soups like this, and except for the pumpkin/squash, I always have the rest of the ingredients on hand. The sage in my herb garden is begging to be used this weekend, so I'll give this soup a try.

[health supplements]

Love pumpkin soup my last one was bland so I am especially looking forward to trying yours...di

[Inne]

That soup looks delicious, Laura. I don't often use pumpkin/squash, but I might give it a go. And I love love love your photograph! Beautiful flask, and with the mittens you totally captured the essence of a chilly autumn day.

[jen]

Mmmmmm - looks lovely and warming :-) And I think you're right - that's a red onion squash.

[Sarah]

Hi Laura, I've gone through two large pumpkins since they showed up at the market a few weeks ago... Pumpkin puree is great as a side to a meal as is pumpkin risotto with sage. I used chicken stock for the risotto, but veg stock would be lovely too. For the puree, I roasted the pumpkin in the oven with olive oil, garlic & chilli in wedges for about 45 minutes. Then scoop the flesh away from the skin, pulp the garlic and mask it all up. It's fantastic with a steak (sorry)!!! I also made roasted pumpkin soup, same idea as yours.

[Laura]

I'll forgive you the steak reference Sarah but only because everything else sounds so good!

[Jen]

Only last night I made a squash risotto, real comfort food. Soup sounds delish adn I'm not a fan of soup generally. Maybe you can deliver some to my house and convert me??

[Maryann@FindingLaDolceVita]

I love the word "pumpkin" :)

[Kieran]

What a stunning photo! I love pumpkin in all its forms...