Pumpkin and ginger soup

October sees the return of the root vegetables.

Here is a classic Halloween season fare.

The ginger will add that zing to warm up a nippy and damp evening.

Do not hesitate to use butternut squash instead of pumpkin if cooking pumpkin is difficult to get hold of. Whichever vegetable you are using, you will need a super-sharp kitchen knife to peel the thick skin off.  Remember : the sharper the knife, the less you cry !

Ingredients for 4-6 servings :

1 small leek, roughly chopped
1 small onion, roughly chopped
30 g root ginger, finely chopped
6 sprigs thyme
15 g butter
1 kg ripe, yellow pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and roughly chopped
1.5 l vegetable stock
1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp parsley
2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds

Method :

1. Melt some butter in a stock-pot or large sauce-pan on very low heat

2. Peel and chop the onion. Add the onion to the butter to gently sweat

3. Meanwhile, wash, trim and slice the leek. Add it to the onion

4. Peel and grate or finely chop the ginger. Add to the onion and leeks with the thyme (whole sprigs)

5. Leave the vegetables on low heat until soft

6. Meanwhile, peel the pumpkin or butternut squash and chop into cubes

7. Add the pumpkin and stock to the pan; bring to the boil

8. Season with salt and pepper, lower the heat and gently simmer for 20 mins or until the pumpkin pieces are very soft

9. Remove the thyme sprigs, blend in a liquidizer until smooth and strain through a fine sieve

10. Chop some parsley and pick some thyme to add to the soup.

11. If your soup is too thick, add a little more water or vegetable stock

12. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan

13. Check the seasoning of the soup, serve in bowls or soup plates and scatter the pumpkin seeds over each bowl/plate