Warming Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Warming Roasted Pumpkin Soup (Adapted from Matt Preston's recipe from Masterchef Australia) Serves 4

 

Image credit: Delicious.

 

Ingredients

1kg pumpkin, unpeeled, cut into 3cm wedges & deseeded

1 onion, peeled & cut into wedges

3-4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 granny smith apple, cored & cut into wedges

3 tbs olive oil

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 to 1 tsp ground nutmeg

1.5 to 2L of chicken/vegetable stock

chilli flakes (optional)

grain bread, sliced & toasted

 

Garnish

1 bunch of sage leaves

50g pepitas

Crumbled feta OR a dash of sour cream (optional)

 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
  2. Line a large roasting tray with baking paper & place pumpkin, onion & apple wedges, plus garlic, onto the tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle over cinnamon & nutmeg & season with salt & freshly ground black pepper & chilli flakes (optional). Toss to coat all the ingredients well.
  3. Place into the oven for about 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  4. Once tray is removed from the oven, set aside to cool. When vegetables are cool enough to handle, peel the skin off the pumpkin & squeeze the garlic from its skin. Transfer vegetables to a large pot/saucepan.
  5. Add 1.5L of the stock to the pot & bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer & cook until vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes).
  6. Remove pot from the heat & puree with a stick blender until smooth or to a consistency of your liking. Add more stock, if needed. Season to taste. If a very smooth soup is needed, strain through a fine sieve. A blender can also be used.
  7. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, add sage leaves and cook until crispy. Remove from the pan & drain on paper towel.
  8. Toast pepitas for 1 minute in a dry pan & set aside.
  9. To serve, divide soup among bowls, top with crispy sage leaves, pepitas & crumbled feta or sour cream (optional). Season to taste & serve with toasted grain bread. Mmm!