Recipe: Halloween Pumpkin Soup

Halloween Pumpkin Soup

1/2 pumpkin, cubed
1 carrot, sliced
2 sticks celery (celeriac), sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 potato, chopped
4 cloves garlic (minced)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh coriander or chives, chopped
1 litre vegetable stock (2 pints)

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the pumpkin, carrot, celery, onion and potato for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season to taste. Transer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Serve with freshly chopped coriander or chives.

Serving Tip: Serve the soup on Halloween - 31st October. The vegetables can be altered depending on the ingredients available. This soup is an ideal way of using up left over vegetables. For example, the celery could be replaced by one leek.

Pumpkin and Butternut Squash - The pumpkin is a variety of squash and is cooked in the same way as butternut squash. To prepare; cut in half, scoop out the seeds, peel or scoop out the flesh. Cut into cubes and boil, braise or roast in the oven with a little olive oil sprinkled on top. If the butternut squash is not too big, simply cut it in half and place in a preheated oven, 450F, skin side up and bake for 1 hour.

Pumpkins are often associated with Halloween. The are hollowed out and cut to resemble faces. A candle is placed inside to light them up and they are then used as decorations or for trick or treating.