I bought a Kent pumpkin a week and a half ago and decided to make soup out of (or rather in) it, using the whole outer shell as a bowl. But before Mr. Pumpkin was sacrificially turned into soup, it was with child-like amusement that I gathered my little vegetable figurines for a photoshoot. It was a silly distraction but a fun one for an otherwise mundane Saturday afternoon.
The actors: Pumpkin F. (fat pumpkin), Pumpkin L. (little pumpkin), Madame Funky Broccoli (ok..no reference to flatulence here) and the bashful Monsieur Eggplant with special appearance by pumpkin killer, Hollow Man and his menacing blenderer!
Ok, silliness aside, this made a really lovely soup, spiced up with ginger, cumin, curry powder and yoghurt. Matched with crusty french baguette to mop up all that soup, dinner was simply delicious.
Ingredients
1 Kent Pumpkin (mine weighed about 2 kg)
1 celery stalk, diced
1/2 carrot, diced
1/2 brown onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 cm piece ginger, crushed
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon heap hot curry powder
50 g butter
750 ml water
2 tablespoons greek yoghurt
1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped
olive oil, a little
salt to taste
Method
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Pre-heat oven to 160oC.
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Wash pumpkin and dry with paper towel. Carefully cut around the top of the pumpkin to make a lid; remove pumpkin seeds and membrane.
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Spray or lightly brush entire pumpkin and lid with olive oil; place side by side on baking or roasting tray
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Roast in pre-heated oven for 1 hour.
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Whilst pumpkin is roasting in the oven, melt butter in a saucepan or pot; add diced onions, carrots and celery, crushed ginger and garlic and sauté until softened.
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Add in cumin seeds and curry powder and cook for a few minutes until aromatic.
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Pour the water in, bring to the boil; then cover saucepan with a lid and, lower to simmer for 30 minutes.
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When pumpkin is cooked, remove from oven; gently scoop out the flesh, taking care not to pierce the skin. Try scooping out as much pumpkin flesh as possible without damaging the shell to ensure maximum pumpkin flavour and to get a thick consistency when blended.
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Blend pumpkin flesh and the vegetable stock until smooth. (A hand blender works well here – less washing up)
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Stir in the yoghurt and chopped coriander leaves.
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Season with salt.
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Serve warm with crusty bread and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.
