Slowly but surely we are heading towards autumn, when cravings of hot and soothing meals emerge, especially in the dark, crisp evenings. If you feel the need to warm up with a bowl of soup, pumpkins are the way to go! Mixed with other classic autumn and winter vegetables, such as carrots and parsnips, this pumpkin soup boasts with sweetness and intense creaminess. What makes the soup an even heartier affair is adding big chunks of home-made croutons with melted Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese that enrich the dish with a depth of umami taste notes. How truly satisfying!
Ingredients:
For approx. 750ml soup (2-3 portions)
350g butternut squash or Hokkaido pumpkin
2 large carrots
3 parsnips
1 big shallot or 2 small shallots
2 cloves garlic
Olive oil, sea salt
1ltr vegetable stock
Sea salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
2-3 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
For the Parmigiano-Reggiano croutons:
2-3 slices of white bread, preferably sourdough
6 tbsp. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Olive oil
What you’ll need:
Chopping board
Large kitchen knife
Bread knife
Baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper
Large pot
Mixing bowl
Frying pan
Vegetable peeler
Measuring jug
Kitchen scales
Grater
Stick blender
Sieve
Tablespoon
Wooden spoon or spatula
Method:
- Cut the pumpkin (or squash), peeled carrots and parsnips into chunks as well as the shallots and garlic. Place everything on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, rub the vegetable pieces with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt on top. Bake in the oven, middle rack, fan 180-200°C or gas mark 5, for about 30 minutes until soft.
- Take a mixing bowl, add the baked vegetables to it and puree them using a stick blender. Gradually add the vegetable stock to the puree. Take a mesh sieve, place it over the pot and pass the thick liquid through it with the help of a spoon. On very low heat, let the soup simmer while preparing the croutons.
- Cut the bread into small chunks (one slice per portion). Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil on them and fry them in a non-stick pan. Frequently turn them with a wooden spoon or spatula. Once they are crusty, turn off the heat and sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano on them. Stir again a few times to distribute the cheese and to avoid burning it.
- Taste the soup, add ground nutmeg to taste, and if necessary a bit more salt or black pepper. Serve the soup in deep bowls, add the Parmigiano-Reggiano croutons, a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds per portion and round off the dish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately!
(Credit to: Castelli/Parmigiano for these beautiful recipes)
Follow and Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/glotimetv/
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/glotimetv/
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/GloTIMETV_
