Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Finally typing up pumpkin soup recipe my friend Kate sent me many years ago :)
Yes pumpkin carving did happen here last night

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Serves 6 - 8

 

900g pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes (about half a standard sized pumpkin)

175 g onion, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

25 g butter

1 sprig thyme

400g tin tomatoes deseeded and chopped

1 tablsp tomato puree

1.2 litres chicken stock (I have used just water and got good results)

salt and freshly ground pepper

pinch of nutmeg

35g butter

1/3 teasp cumin seeds

1/3 teasp coriander seeds

1/3 teasp black peppercorns

1 teasp white mustard seeds

5cm piece of cinnamon stick

 

Put the pumpkin into a pan with the onion, garlic, butter and thyme.  Cover and sweat over a low heat for 10 mins, stirring once or twice.  Add the chopped tomatoes and 1/2 teasp of sugar and tomato puree and cook until dissolved into a thick sauce.  Stir in the stock, s&p, and a little nutmeg and simmer until the pumpkin is tender.   Discard the thyme stalk, then liquidise and return to pan.  Taste and adjust seasoning.     Just before serving, heat the coriander, cumin and peppercorns and crush coarsely.  Melt the butter in a small saucepan and when foaming add the crushed spices, mustard seeds and cinnamon.  Stir for a few seconds until the mustard seeds start to pop.   Remove the cinnamon and pour over the soup.  Serve each bowl with a drizzle of the spiced butter stirred in.