Ingredients
1 small pumpkin or squash
2 onions
2 sticks of celery
2 carrots
1 bay leaf (optional)
Grated nutmeg (optional)
Salt and pepper
1 ½ pints of vegetable or chicken stock
Method
- Cut the pumpkin or squash in half and scoop out the stringy pulpy bits and seed
- Peel it
- Cut the flesh into chunks of a couple of inches
- Cut the remaining veg into similar size to the pumpkin
- Place into a medium to large saucepan and add the stock, nutmeg, bay leaf and seasoning
- Bring to the boil
- Turn down and simmer until the pumpkin is soft
- Turn off heat
- Remove the bay leaf
- When it’s cooled down, blitz the soup with a hand held or kitchen top liquidiser
- Yum
Hints
If you have the time, you can put the chopped pumpkin or squash in the oven and roast it before you put it in the soup. Sprinkle the nutmeg over (not too much) and roast at 190 degrees Celsius for about 30 mins. Keep an eye on it.
You can also add a pinch of chilli powder, if you like, for a bit of heat.
Finally, you can separate out the seeds (it is a bit fiddly) and put on a baking tray with a teaspoon or two of oil, just enough to lightly coat, and a sprinkle of chilli powder and roast in the oven for 10 – 15 mins. Again, keep an eye cos they will burn quickly. When you take them out add a good shake of salt. Hey presto yummy healthy cheap snack.
