Ingredients
1.6kg (unpeeled) butternut pumpkin
1 large brown onion
3 cloves garlic
750ml chicken stock
250ml water
100ml cream + a little more for serving
Good pinch ground nutmeg
A little finely chopped parsley for garnish
Salt and pepper
Method
1. Peel and chop pumpkin into 4-5cm cubes, with seeds removed.
2. Cut onion into 1cm slices.
3. Peel garlic but keep the cloves whole.
4. Put pumpkin, onion, garlic, stock and water into a large pot. The liquid should just cover the vegetables.
5. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until pumpkin is quite soft.
6. Whizz for 8 seconds in a food processor.
7. Return to pot, stir in the cream. season with a little salt, peeper and the nutmeg.
8. When warmed through, ladle into bowls.
9. Garnish with a swirl of cream, some parsley and a grind of pepper, and serve with bread.
Notes
Using 3/4 stock and 1/4 quarter water stops the stock from overwhelming the taste of the pumpkin.
My food processor is 1100 watts, which is quite strong. You might need to add a few seconds whizzing in a less powerful processor. You want a fully blended, smooth result.
When warming the soup, don’t let it boil or the cream will split.
Nutmeg is entirely discretionary, I just think it goes really well with the pumpkin flavour.