Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
I love Shakespeare. And witches. I also adore Halloween. But most of all (and I know I've said it a bazillion times before) ... I LURVE soup.
It always comforts, soothes and pleasures the very core of my being. I'll take it anyway I can get it - thick, smooth, chunky, clear, vegetable, meat and seafood. The only kind that I will not touch with a 10-foot broomstick, are those foul-smelling, nasty Chinese herbal soups that The Mother use to make me drink for good health and er, healthy menstruation (I kid you not). I didn't care what supposed benefits her nasty soups contained, I despised them with every fibre of my soul. I use to drink them with a peg over my nose and tears running down my face. A pox on those foul potions!
I also freaking lurve pumpkin!
When it comes to ye olde broth, people are usually divided into two covens - those who love it and those who are a bit meh. But I refuse to believe that there is a human out there who hates soup. And if you are one of these people, my sympathies to you.
I've been going a little overboard lately with the brewing of the soup. The last time, I complained about mess and soupy explosions thanks to my manic benchtop blender. But since then, I have been lucky to be given a new and valuable tool - a magical wand cordless hand blender*. My household better brace themselves for their new soup diet, starting with this Spicy Pumpkin Soup.
I can't think of a more Halloween appropriate soup to make than one with pumpkin, spices and apple. Yes apple! For sweetness, tartness and because someone swore to me once that it makes for good soup. And because it's a witchy time of a year, this concoction has a few extra kicks with cayenne pepper. I swear I've been adding cayenne to everything lately but it does make for a gorgeously spicy and sweet soup. Tis a perfect brew for the most fabulous of witches... no eye of newt required.
Meet my new weapon! A cordless hand blender for endless sessions of souping and puréeing!
I can't think of a more Halloween appropriate soup to make than one with pumpkin, spices and apple. Yes apple! For sweetness, tartness and because someone swore to me once that it makes for good soup. And because it's a witchy time of a year, this concoction has a few extra kicks with cayenne pepper. I swear I've been adding cayenne to everything lately but it does make for a gorgeously spicy and sweet soup. Tis a perfect brew for the most fabulous of witches... no eye of newt required.
*Full disclosure: This Braun Cordless Hand Processor was generously gifted to Citrus and Candy by Hausmann Communications (with absolutely no obligation to post).
Spicy Pumpkin Soup
(Serves approx 4)
Ingredients for roasted pumpkin
1 kg piece of butternut pumpkin - peeled, deseeded and chopped into approx 3-4 cm pieces
Olive oil
20g of butter, roughly diced (optional)
Spanish sweet paprika
black pepper
few sprigs of fresh thyme
Ingredients for soup
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
30g of butter
1 tsp Spanish sweet paprika
dash of cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 large granny smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1.25L vegetable/chicken stock
125ml pouring cream (35% fat content)
few sprigs of fresh thyme, tied in a bunch with kitchen twine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place diced pumpkin in a baking pan and sprinkle over some olive oil and toss to lightly coat. Scatter the chopped butter and thyme sprigs over the pumpkin and season with black pepper and a light sprinkle of paprika.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and nicely roasted (but don't over 'caramelise' it). The smaller and thinner your pumpkin pieces, the quicker it'll take to roast. Remove the thyme sprigs and set aside.
In a pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter, add the onions and garlic, partially cover and 'sweat' for 5-10 minutes until the onions have softened but not coloured.
Turn the heat up to medium, add the paprika and cayenne pepper and 'toast' spices for a minute or two. Add the apple and the roasted pumpkin pieces.
Add the stock, cream and thyme bunch and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the apples are tender.
Remove the thyme sprigs. Using a handheld stick blender, purée soup until smooth. If you are using a standard benchtop blender, blend in small batches then return to the pot to warm.
Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. I like my soup on the thicker side but if it's too thick for your liking, add more stock to thin it out. Bear in mind, that the longer you keep the soup and reboil it, the thicker it'll be.
Feel free to serve with toasted baguettes, gruyere croutons, dollop of sour cream or finely chopped parsley.
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Recipe by Citrus and Candy
