Pumpkin soup

A silky Hokkaido pumpkin soup with cream and a hint of ginger, finished with toasted pumpkin seeds — vegetarian, autumnal and ready in about 45 minutes.

Ingredients

• Hokkaido pumpkin600 g
• cream150 ml
• ginger10 g
• onion1 pcs
• broth700 ml
• pumpkin seeds2 tbsp

Method

1. Prep the vegetables. Halve and deseed the pumpkin — Hokkaido skin is tender enough to leave on — then cut into roughly 3 cm chunks. Peel and dice the onion, and finely grate or mince the ginger.
2. Sweat onion and ginger. Warm a generous knob of butter or a splash of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5–6 minutes until soft and translucent, then stir in the ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. Add pumpkin and broth. Tip in the pumpkin pieces and pour over the 700 ml of broth — it should just cover the pumpkin. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.
4. Simmer until tender. Cook uncovered for 18–22 minutes until the pumpkin is completely soft — a knife should slide in with no resistance. Remove from the heat and let it settle for a couple of minutes.
5. Toast the pumpkin seeds. While the soup simmers, scatter the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat and toast for 2–3 minutes, shaking regularly, until they start to pop and turn golden. Set aside.
6. Blend until silky. Use a stick blender directly in the pan — or transfer in batches to a jug blender — and blitz until completely smooth. Pour in the cream, stir well, and return to a gentle heat for 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Plate and garnish. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and finish with a scatter of toasted pumpkin seeds. A swirl of extra cream looks lovely if you have any to spare.

Safety & hygiene Important

• Hot liquid when blending. If using a jug blender, never fill it more than halfway with hot soup and hold the lid down firmly with a folded tea towel — steam pressure can blow the lid off and cause serious burns. A stick blender used directly in the pan is safer.