How To Make Pumpkin Soup

Step 1: You will need

Step 2: Cook onions and garlic

Place the saucepan on a medium to high heat, and when hot, add the butter, letting it brown a little, followed by the onion. Sweat the onion for about 5 minutes. Now add the garlic, stir, and continue cooking.

Step 3: Add the pumpkin and stock

When the onion is slightly brown, add the pumpkin, chicken stock and half of the water. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 4: Preheat the oven

Set the temperature to 180ºC or gas mark 4.

Step 5: Prepare the croutons

Sprinkle the bread onto the tray then dust with the nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar. Finally, drizzle over the olive oil and mix together until the bread cubes are well coated.

Step 6: Bake the croutons

Place the tray in the centre of the oven and bake for 7 minutes. When brown and crispy, remove the croutons from the oven and put to one side.

Step 7: Season soup and remove from heat

When the soup has been cooking for roughly 20 minutes, add the maple syrup, season with salt and pepper, stir briefly and take it off the heat.

Step 8: Blend the soup

Ladle the soup gradually into the blender. As you go, drain the water back into the pan. This can be added later if necessary. Release the steam from the blender before continuing. Now, pulse the soup two or three times before blending at a medium speed for about half a minute. Add a tablespoon of crème fraiche and blend again. then transfer to another saucepan or bowl

Repeat this same process with the remaining pumpkin soup.

Step 9: Serve

Pour the steaming pumpkin soup into serving bowls, sprinkle on the sweet croutons, garnish with a little mint and serve.