Pumpkin Spiced Soup

This is such a heartwarming seasonal favourite. The aroma, the colours and the produce used are all the epitome of the definition, Autumn. This soup can be served with a dollop of crème fraîche or my personal favourite, garlic bread. This recipe is not entirely vegan, but can be made so by omitting butter at the end and adding a generous amount of olive oil. Either way, you will be going back for seconds.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium squash or half medium pumpkin

• 1 onion

• 2 carrots

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1/2 swede

• 1 apple (any sweet variety)

• 500ml vegetable stock

• 1 blsp cinnamon

• 2 tsp nutmeg

• 1 tsp white pepper (of course you can use black pepper)

• salt to taste

• olive oil to fry onions

• 25g butter or olive oil

The fruits of Autumn

Method:

1. Chop the the onion into large chunks. Add a little oil to your pot and add the onion. Fry on medium heat until translucent and tender.

2. Add all of the spices apart from salt and cook for a minute while occasionally stirring.

3. Remove the skin of the squash or pumpkin and dice into 2cm cubes. Add those to the onion and give it a stir to coat them in spices.

4. Slice the carrot and chop the swede into similar sized chunks and add those to the pot. Slice the garlic in half to release the aroma and add to the pot.

5. Add 500ml of vegetable stock. It should cover the all the vegetables in the pot, if there is not enough stock simply add boiling water. The more water you add the more liquid it will be. If you prefer a thicker soup then just cover the vegetables so they will cook all the way through.

6. Peel and core an apple and cut into large chunks. The apple will cook the fastest and I do not mix it through, I just leave it at the top. Put the lid on and simmer for 45 minutes. Check with a skewer both the pumpkin and the swede to see if they are done. The skewer must go through easily, if it is a little tough continue to simmer for another ten minutes.

7. Once cooked remove from the stove and transfer with a ladle into your food processor. Depending on its size you may need an extra container like a bowl to transfer the already blitzed soup. Alternatively you may use a stick blender. Blitz until smooth and there are no chunks in the puree soup.

8. Add 25g of butter or olive oil and mix it throughout. Serve while hot.

Enjoy it as it is or add a dollop of crème fraîche or sour-cream, though the soup is already a little sour from the swede you may prefer not to. What I do love to do is to toast some sourdough and add garlic butter, which I make by softening the butter with a fork and adding freshly pressed garlic. Not only is it delicious but it also keeps the cold away.

Bon appétit!