Everyone
deserves a well-earned break now and then and if you’re
the type of person who would like to combine a trip abroad
with a delicious cooking experience, this is the prize for
you!
A
favourite soup in New Zealand (Aotearoa), the recipe
may also be used for kumara soup. Kumara being Maori
for sweet potato - simply replace the pumpkin with kumara.
Ingredients
butter
50
gm
bacon
or smoked ham trimmings (optional)
25
gm
onion
75
gm
celery
75
gm
flour
50
gm
pumpkin
400
gm
white
stock (chicken or vegetable)
1
lt
bouquet
garni
1
pc
seasoning
sq
Method
Melt
the butter in a thick bottom pan
Add
the bacon, roughly chopped vegetables and cook without
colour for 5 minutes
Mix
in the flour and cook out without colour for 5 minutes
Add
the pumpkin (cut into 2 cm cubes)
Remove
from the heat and gradually add the warmed stock
Stir
to the boil and add the bouquet garni, season lightly
Simmer
for 1 hour, stirring and skimming occasionally to
remove any scum that might come to the surface
Pass
firmly through a chinois or purée in a liquidiser
Return
soup to a clean pan, bring to the boil, correct seasoning
and consistency
Chef's
Tip:
For
a pumpkin soup with a little bit extra add one of
or a combination of the following:
two
cloves of crushed garlic
three
whole roasted garlic cloves
100
gm of strong cheddar
175ml
of orange juice reduced down to 50 ml
Serve
with slices of toasted French bread (baguette), either
one or
a combination) of the following:
