Pumpkin Soup and Leeks
A warming pumpkin soup and the added health benefits of leeks and ginger, made in only 35 minutes. This recipe works well with canned pumpkin to make it extra speedy.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 medium leeks sliced
- 900 g (2lb or 2 15oz tins of purée) pumpkin peeled & chopped* (or one small potimarron chestnut pumpkin)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root grated (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 850 ml (1.5 pints/ 3 cups) vegetable stock
- good pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot then soften the leeks and pumpkin together. Sweat gently for about 5 minutes then add the ginger. Sweat a couple of minutes more.
- Add the stock (just enough to cover the vegetables), cover and simmer for about 25 minutes.
- Blend with a hand mixer, add the nutmeg and season with salt and a few grinds of the pepper-mill to taste.
Notes
Pumpkin: if using Japanese chestnut pumpkin or red kuri squash (potimarron), roast whole in the oven for about 20 minutes to make it easier to cut into chunks. No need to discard the skin as this variety of squash is edible. Otherwise this recipe works well using canned pumpkin (2x15oz tins of purée).
Variations: Add some cooked chestnuts to further thicken the soup and enjoy the flavour combination, typical for Autumn in France.
To Serve: top with chopped fresh herbs (parsley, coriander or sage leaves). For a festive touch, add a couple of fresh cranberries or pink peppercorns (N.B. pink peppercorns are to be avoided if you have a nut allergy).