Pumpkin soup: the Autumniest taste.

Really, this is just the warming-est, most autumnal soup. And it's really easy, made with seasonal veg which is super easy to grow at home/in an allotment. It's fantastic to make just after Halloween, when you've got a pumpkin lantern all carved up with no further use: just chuck it inna pot!

The recipe is based on my memories of the Blue Peter pumpkin soup recipe from when I was tiny.



Ingredients:
1 onion
1 tbsp pumpkin oil (or any oil you have)
Garlic (as many cloves as you prefer; my Dad dislikes garlic so I only used one this time)
1 small-medium pumpkin
Half a butternut squash, or other type of squash
1 can or carton of chopped tomatoes
1 cup water
1 cup white wine (optional; can switch with water)
1 cup orange juice
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 chicken stock cube
nutmeg
salt to taste

First: chop onions! And fry'em in the oil until they are soft.

Add the garlic. Pressed or chopped, as you please.

Second! Peel and chop squash and pumpkin. The extra squash I used is a green one from the garden, I'm not sure what type it is. We just put seed in the ground.. and they grow!





Add'em to the onion. When these are soft, you have a choice.

You can either add the chopped tomato now, or after you've blended the mix til smooth. I like to add them afterwards, so lumps of tomato flesh are left in the end product. If you aren't keen on tomato you should probably add them pre-blending.



Whichever was you choose, put the contents of your pot in a blender with the water and the wine. Blend until smooth.

Return the mixture to the pot, and add the stock cube, orange juice, sugar, salt and a sprinkling of nutmeg and a few grinds of black pepper.



Cook until hot. Then serve, or cool and keep! Have a bowlful every time you come inside, tired or cold, or when you need a cheering or comforting snack. Or use it as a main course, with crusty bread and crumbly cheese (feta, wensleydale..) it's very filling.

Perfect! Delicious!

Enjoy.