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Roast
pumpkin soup with fresh thyme
Pumpkin
is a wonderful winter vegetable, which lends itself to a great variety
of recipes.
It's
worth getting to know and this soup is a good starting point.
Experiment
with different varieties, as some can be very bland while others
are rich and concentrated.
Butternut
and acorn are two favourites.
The
soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for several
days.
SERVES
6
1kg
pumpkin, halved and seeded
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
750g (1 Β½ Ib) onions, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
750 ml (1ΒΌ pints) vegetable stock
1 bouquet garni
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground white pepper
375 ml (13 fl oz) milk
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or Β½ tablespoon dried thyme
Gruyere
and Parmesan Cheese toasts to serve
Method
Pre-heat
the oven to 200Β°C/400Β°F/gas 6.
Place
the pieces of seeded pumpkin flesh-side down on a large baking sheet.
Cover
tightly with kitchen foil and cook in the pre-heated oven for about
1 hour until the flesh is soft to the touch.
Remove
from the oven, scoop all the flesh off the pumpkin shell and set
aside.
Melt
the butter in a large pan over a medium high heat and sweat the
onions and garlic for about 5 minutes until soft and transparent
without any colouring.
Add
the cooked pumpkin flesh and vegetable stock, and all the seasonings
except the thyme.
Bring
it all up to the boil, and then simmer gently for about 10 minutes.
As
the pumpkin and onion are already cooked you're really just letting
the flavours meld together at this point.
Remove
from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
PurΓ©e
in a blender or food processor then pass through a fine sieve.
Return
to a clean pan, add the milk and thyme, and then reheat the soup
over a medium heat without allowing it to boil.
Serve
immediately in warmed soup bowls with the Gruyere and Parmesan Cheese
Toasts on the side, or even placed on top just before serving.
Gruyere
and Parmesan Cheese Toasts
A grilled
cheese toast is so simple and yet so tasty.
Serve
with soup, or even floating on a soup, with a salad or simple vegetable
dish.
The
paste keeps well in the fridge for several days and can be extremely
useful to have on hand.
SERVES
6
100
g (4 oz) Gabriel or Gruyere-style cheese, finely grated
90 g (3Β½ oz) Parmesan, finely grated
120 g (4Β½ oz) unsalted butter, softened
6 slices country-style bread, 2 cm (ΒΎ in) thick
Pre-heat
the grill to high.
In
a bowl, work the two cheeses together with the butter until you
have a cohesive paste.
Lightly
toast the bread slices on each side.
Spread
a generous amount of the cheese paste on to each slice, at least
5 mm (ΒΌ in) thick.
Place
the toasts under the grill for 1-2 minutes and watch carefully.
They
are done when the top is golden brown and bubbly.
Serve
immediately.
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