Pumpkin soup with garlic croutons
Taken from interior designer Bee Osborn's new book, The Organic Home, this recipe for a velvety, warming pumpkin soup is exactly the kind of comforting bowl we all yearn for on crisp autumn days. It's simple to make and full of autumn flavours.
The House & Garden archive is full of delicious and comforting soup recipes for every season, from Russell Norman's Tuscan ribollita to Alison Roman's spicy pork soup with pasta and parmesan.
The Organic Home by Osborne is published by Frances Lincoln, £30
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the soup
For the croutons
Preparation
Step 1
First, make the garlic croutons. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
Step 2
Place the garlic bulb in a large roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 45 minutes. Add the bread chunks and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the croutons look crispy and the garlic looks soft.
Step 3
Meanwhile, scatter the pumpkin seeds in a small frying pan and gently brown. Stir the pan constantly to avoid them burning. Once browned, set aside to cool.
Step 4
When the garlic and croutons are ready, take them out of the oven and set aside to cool.
Step 5
Next, make the soup. Place the pumpkin, garlic bulbs and rosemary in a large roasting tin. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 1 hour or until the pumpkin is soft.
Step 6
While the pumpkin is cooking, squeeze the cool soft garlic from the bulb and spread all over the croutons.
Step 7
When ready, remove the garlic and pumpkin from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin, discarding the skin. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skin. Discard the rosemary.
Step 8
In a large saucepan, combine the pumpkin, garlic, white wine, if using, and any juices from the roasting pan, then add the chicken stock. On a high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low to bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes until the soup has thickened. Add the cream and stir through. Using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth.
Step 9
Serve with a drizzle of cream, black pepper, some roasted pumpkin seeds and the garlic croutons.
