The nights are cooling down and you know what that means… It’s time to dust off your slow cookers and indulge in some comfort food.
Nothing says comfort food like a bowl of pumpkin soup does. This recipe is easy, tweakable and is one of my personal chilly night favourites. Not to mention, it’s a great way to consume some veggies.
One of the best things about cooking, especially with recipes like this, is that you can tailor it to the way you like it. I know we’re not all a fan of spice, this soup is great with or without a bit of curry. Like it thicker, use less water. Like it sweet, go the sweet potato option over the white potato. Lactose free… use lactose free cream, instead of the Phili or leave the dairy out all together (I would tone down the curry if you’re going to do this). It’s completely up to you, listen to your tastebuds and oblige.
Ingredients:
Half of a butternut pumpkin – deseeded, skinned and cut into roast-able chunks
2 carrots – peeled and cut into 3 or 4 rough pieces
2 white potatoes (substitute with a sweet potato if you like) – peeled and quartered
3 or 4 spring onions – roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic – crush it a little with the blade of your knife so it can release flavour but there’s really no need to chop it for this
2 heaped teaspoons of chicken stock power
1 to 2 tablespoons of Philadelphia Cream for Cooking, I like to keep this as healthy as possible so I like the ‘light’ version
Fresh Rosemary leaves – small bunch
OPTIONAL: If you like a little spice in your life, 1 or 2 teaspoons of curry powder works like a treat here.
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degree C. Toss pumpkin pieces in olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread out on a baking tray and put in the oven for around an hour, until it gets a bit brown and caramelized on the edges. This creates your classic, sweet pumpkin flavour.
Meanwhile, turn your slow cooker on high. Add carrots, potatoes, spring onion, the chicken stock power, garlic and the curry powder (if using). Then add 2 about cups of water (enough to just cover the veggies). Let this cook away, it will turn into a tasty vegetable stock.
Once you’re happy enough that your pumpkin is roasted, add this to your slow cooker and add the rosemary. No stems with this one, just the leaves, we don’t want woody bits in our finished product.
Leave your slow cooker on high for 3 hours or until all vegetables in the pot are soft.
Stick blenders at the ready! Simply turn it on and blend all of the ingredients until the soup is smooth. Add your Phili Cream for Cooking and blend again for a moment.
At this point, taste, to check the seasoning. Be careful, soup will be hot, hot, hot! Depending on your stock powder, you may need to add little salt. If you didn’t add the curry, then a little pepper is also nice.
SERVING SUGGESTION:
Serve with crusty bread OR these little beauties…
Quick and Easy Side Dish: Cheese & Ham Garlic Bread Roll Ups
Feel free to add a nice dollop of sour cream, normal cream, or some grated cheese, the sour cream is particularly nice with the curry version.
Empty bowls is all you’ll have left over.
Food & Fiction 