A delicious and healthy autumnal soup which, if you're carving a pumpkin for Halloween, is a great way to use the flesh. It can also be made with butternut squash and spiced up with chilli flakes ... and don't forget to toast the pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top!
Serves 4
1kg pumpkin, peeled and chopped
1 medium leek, trimmed and sliced
400g potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
600ml vegetable or chicken stock
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the sliced leeks and potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook over a gentle heat for about five minutes. Then add the chopped pumpkin, dried thyme and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes.
Turn the heat off and allow to cool slightly. The recipe says to whiz the soup in batches in a blender but I found it easier to 'whiz' it in the pan with a hand-held stick blender.
Check the seasoning before serving in warm bowls garnished with the toasted pumpkin seeds.
Note: I found this soup to be very thick and, once blended, decided to add another 200ml of stock. However, if you're freezing it, you can do this once it's defrosted.
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