Shuba Rao from Ventnor said:
Having lived the early 27 years of my life in India, I have learnt how not to waste food or indeed anything. When... More
Roasted Pumpkin and Coriander Soup
Ingredients show imperial units
- 1 small pumpkin
- 2 red peppers
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Olive oil
Usually the darker green the oil, the richer the flavour.
- Extra virgin olive oil is good for drizzling on salads and should never be heated as this destroys the fine properties
- Lighter olive oil is good for adding to bread, or to flavour a salad or marinade for chicken, meat, fish or vegetables. Lighter olive oil can be gently heated and added to marinades and baking.
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon juniper seeds
- 100g celery, chopped
- 2 small red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
Stocks
Made from your meat and fish bones.
Frozen in ice cubes for gravies, risotto and cooking rice. Once frozen, remove from the ice trays and pack into freezer bags. Use stock powder or cubes if you do not have any home made available.
- Large bunch of fresh coriander , chopped
Herbs
Ideal for seasoning pastas.
To keep cut parsley or coriander, put in a hole free polythene bag with a couple of tablespoons of cold water, give the bag a good shake and keep in the salad drawer of the fridge. Herbs should keep for a week like this.
- Salt
Salt
Consider tablesalt, sea salt or crystals.
Sea salt’s pronounced and salty flavour means less is required to season food.
- [black peppercorns|Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of crème fraiche
Crème fraiche
The French version of soured cream, it’s twice as rich, and thicker than the British version of sour cream.
- It can be used to lace soups, sauces and stews or it can be spooned over puddings and stirred into sweet dishes. Great for adding to leftovers, as it is quite rich and can withstand being heated.
- Plain full-fat yoghurt can be used instead of crème fraîche in cooking as long as you heat it gently – adding a little cornflour, which can help to prevent it from separating.
- The best crème fraîche comes from a strictly controlled area of Normandy called Isigny-sur-Mer and it’s sold in larger supermarkets in the UK.
- Pinch of paprika
Spanish smoked paprika
Good for Tex Mex flavouring
For chicken and ribs
Instructions
- Quarter the pumpkin, remove the seeds (don’t discard them, they are lovely when roasted and make a great nibble). Cut the red peppers in half, remove the seeds and place them with the pumpkin onto a roasting tray. Drizzle the flesh with a little olive oil and place into a pre heated oven set at gas mark 6/200C/400F and roast for about 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Scrape the flesh from the skin of the pumpkin and place to one side along with the roasted pepper.
- Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan; add the chopped onion, crushed garlic, juniper seeds, celery and red chillies. Cook for a few minutes until the onions and celery are soft. Add the pumpkin and red peppers, the stock and finally the chopped coriander. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and then process the soup in a blender to make it smooth.
- Serve with a spoonful of crème fraiche over the top sprinkled with a little paprika.
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Comments on this recipe
The recipe is great. Have it on a cold night by the fire with bread fingers, mmmm!
I never knew that there was roasted pumpkin! i will be making some of this at halloween!!!
Comments on this recipe