Roasted Pumpkin Soup garnished with crispy bacon and crunchy croutons – the perfect comfort food for our fellow Yorkshire foodies!
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan) and put the pumpkin chunks, onion and garlic gloves onto a large baking tray. Drizzle with a little oil and season well with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over with paprika and cumin, then toss together well. Roast for 30 minutes until soft and slightly caramelised.
Lay bacon out on baking tray and place in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes until crispy and set aside. Put the bread for croutons onto the baking tray the bacon was cooked on. Toss the croutons in bacon fat and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes until crisp and golden. Set aside until ready to serve.
Remove the garlic cloves from the baking tray and put the rest of the vegetables into a large saucepan. Smash the roasted garlic cloves away from their skins and add to the pan. Pour in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off, then blend the soup until smooth with a handheld stick blender, adding the cream as you go. Check the seasoning and blend again, adding more water if needed.
Ladle the soup into bowls, crumble over the bacon and croutons along with fresh parsley. Serve with fresh bread and butter.
