Roasted pumpkin & garlic soup

I’ve been mildly obsessed with oven-roasting vegetables. In the last two weeks, I’ve made two huge batches of heirloom tomatoes (much to my family’s profound bliss), and now, this roasted pumpkin and garlic soup. I knew that the tomatoes would shrink in size upon roasting, but little did I know that all those 12 plump fruits would reduce down to yield just a small jam-jar sized amount! The taste is elevated 12-fold though, so it’s most definitely worth it. Quality over quantity.

My unbridled love for garlic is no secret. Here, it is roasted along with the pumpkin for extra flavour, and then the soft pulp inside is squished out with your fingers. Got to love some hands-on garlic action!

Velvety and smooth and loaded with all things good for you (I even left out the cream that the recipe called for), this soup effortlessly straddles the fence between comforting and complex all at once – that’s the killer combination, right?

INGREDIENTS : (Serves 4 -6)

Adapted from Gordon Ramsay

800 grams pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and cut into 2 cm cubes

1 head of garlic, halved crossways

½ tsp dried rosemary

1 big onion, chopped

Chicken stock (approx 4 – 5 cups)

Olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Pre-heat oven to 170 C / 340 F and line a baking tray with aluminium foil. Scatter the pumpkin pieces and garlic onto it and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. (the doneness would vary depending on the size and variety of pumpkin, so check after 30 minutes). It’s done if a knife inserted into it has no resistance. Set aside to cool for a few minutes before purée-ing in a blender.

In a large pot, sauté the onions in a little olive oil until browned. Add in pumpkin purée, rosemary, and chicken stock until you get the right consistency. After it comes to the boil, let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Take off the heat and let it cool slightly.

Blend the soup in batches and transfer into a clean pot. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and adjust the consistency of the soup (add more chicken soup to loosen it out). Re-heat before serving.

Ladle into your soup bowls and garnish with a swirl of cream (optional).