A new pumpkin soup recipe, published today, outlines a nine-step method for preparation. The recipe suggests that roasting the pumpkin flesh is the most important step to enhance its flavour, due to the squash's high water content.
The process involves skinning, deseeding, and chopping about 1½kg of pumpkin or winter squash, then roasting the cubes for approximately 40 minutes. Pumpkin offcuts and seeds are also used, with the seeds roasted separately for the last 10 minutes of the pumpkin cooking time.
The soup base is created by frying onion, celery, and carrots before combining with the roasted pumpkin and a stock made from the pumpkin skin trimmings. The mixture is then pureed and seasoned to taste.