Pumpkin and Parmesan Soup
By Rachel Davies
Halloween is here again, and with it come all sorts of lurid outfits, baby pumpkin onesies, and my daughter somehow managing to find the toffee apples from a mile away in the shops, and waving them at me with glee.
The produce is also turning autumnal, with beautiful pumpkins and squash in all shapes and sizes.
So if you’re hollowing out your pumpkin soon, or you just would like a nice, warming and seasonal soup, here is one for you.
My mum is scathing about using butter and cream, because obviously adding all that richness makes food creamy and appealing. And I do agree to a certain extent, but why not add a little for the odd special meal?
You can of course leave out the cream, but it does make the soup that bit more decadent, and once in a while is that such a bad thing?
And a final note on the Parmesan rinds – whenever we finish a piece of Parmesan, I stick the rind in a bag in the freezer. Using them is soups and stews is a super easy way to add depth of flavour and I recommend you do the same.
If you don’t have any, just add a bit more Parmesan to the soups bowls.
Enjoy!
Pumpkin and Parmesan Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
50g butter
1kg pumpkin or squash after peeling and deseeding, cut into 2cm cubes
2 onions, finely chopped
1 litre good quality stock or water
4 Parmesan rinds
150ml double cream
Sea salt and black pepper
Parmesan and extra virgin olive oil to serve
Method
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the pumpkin and sauté lightly for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and allowing to lightly colour.
- Add the onions, stock, and Parmesan rinds. Scrape up any bits of pumpkin on the bottom of the pan, and allow to simmer gently for 15-20 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft. Remove from the heat and discard the rinds.
- Blend the soup, and for a restaurant-style smooth finish, pass the soup through a fine sieve (optional).
- Return the soup to the pan, stir through the cream and reheat. Season to taste and serve in bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and some Parmesan shavings.
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