Soups & stews
Pumpkin soup in a pumpkin
Velvety, rich and comforting pumpkin soup served in a hollowed-out pumpkin. This serving dish is a great child-pleaser. If there are no children about, you could add a dash of sherry at the end of cooking. Switch the Parmesan for a vegetarian equivalent if you'd like. If you save the pumpkin seeds, you can roast then in the oven and use as a topping as well as croutons.
Ingredients
- a 2kg pumpkin
- 15g butter
- 50g long-grained rice
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 600-900ml milk
- 25g Parmesan, grated
- crisp croutons to serve
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Using a sharp knife, cut a lid off the pumpkin. Scrape out the seeds and threads inside and discard. Rub the butter around the inside of the pumpkin and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the rice, shallots and garlic in the pumpkin. Add the thyme, rosemary, and parsley.
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Step 2
Bring the milk to the boil, and pour enough into the pumpkin to almost fill it. Cover with its lid, then wrap foil loosely around it, taking care not to spill the contents. Stand in a roasting tin and bake for 1¾-2½ hours until the inside is tender.
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Step 3
If you can find them, fish out the herb twigs, then stir in the Parmesan, taste and adjust the seasoning. As you serve the soup, scrape out some of the softened pumpkin with each spoonful. Pass croutons around separately.
