Halloween brings the question of what to do with all that pumpkin once the lanterns have been cut out. When our boys were younger we would do a children’s tea party for their friends then whilst the fathers escorted the children around trick or treating the mothers would have a chance to chat over a glass of wine. Pumpkin soups and fresh bread would be served for the adults.
One of my favourite pumpkin soup recipes is from Delia’s Vegetarian Collection
Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Sweetcorn
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 700g Pumpkin (or butternut squash) peeled, deseeded and chopped in 2-3cm chunks
- Sweetcorn from 6 cobs (approx 570g)
- 25g butter plus 1 extra teaspoon for sweetcorn
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
- 275ml whole milk
- 725ml hot stock made with Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
Instructions
- Begin by melting 25g butter in a large saucepan, then add onion and soften for about 8 mins.
- Add the chopped pumpkin along with half the sweetcorn. Give everything a good stir and season with salt and pepper.
- Put the lid on and keeping the heat low allow the vegetables to sweat gently and release their juices – this should take about 10 mins.
- Next, pour in the milk and stock and simmer gently for about 20 mins. Put the lid on for this but leave it cracked so it doesn’t boil over.
- Whilst it’s simmering pre-heat the grill to its highest setting for 10 minutes. Melt the extra teaspoon of butter, mix the rest of the sweetcorn with it and spread out on a baking tray, season with salt and pepper and pop it under the grill about 5-8 cms from the heat. It will take about 8 mins to become nicely toasted. Stir around halfway through.
- When the soup is ready blend it to a puree leaving a little but of texture. Serve the soup with the toasted sweetcorn on top.
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