Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

For the soup

• 1000g pumpkin
• 2 onions chopped
• 25g butter
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 1 medium potato peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 600ml water
• 600ml vegetable stock
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 150ml single cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the garnish

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp chives chopped

to serve

• 2 chunky slices granary bread

Method

1. Remove the skin and seeds from the pumpkin. Dice the flesh into cubes.
2. Fry the onions in the butter for 10 minutes. Add the rosemary, pumpkin, potato and garlic and fry for a further 5 minutes.
3. Add the water, vegetable stock and nutmeg. Simmer for 20 minutes.
4. To make the garnish: In a heavy bottomed frying pan, heat up the olive oil. Add the pumpkin seeds and fry gently until they are lightly toasted. The seeds will start to crack open when they are done.
5. Purée the soup mixture in a food processor or blender. Add the cream and seasoning to taste.
6. Heat through again gently without boiling. Garnish with the toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped chives then serve.