Thick creamy spiced pumpkin soup

It's no mystery that pumpkins are this seasons popular vegetable. Not just for Halloween but to cook with. The thing I absolutely love about them is hardly anything goes to waste including the seeds and you can cook it as sweet or savoury. The seeds make a great addition to salad, crackers and seeded breads - give it a try.

Now lets talk soup, this is a recipe I designed after playing around with it for a few years, it’s a hit with friends and family every year so I wanted to share it with you. If you prefer a sweeter version and don't want a kick the spice is optional so cook the same way just without the ginger, cumin, chilli, coriander and curry powder.

For this recipe you will need:

1 Large white onion (diced)

1 tbsp unsalted butter

2/3 crushed garlic

1cm minced ginger (optional)

Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Small pinch of nutmeg

1tsp curry powder

Salt

Pepper

1kg of Pumpkin flesh (seeds removed)

900ml of vegetable stock (roughly 3 10g cubes, or make your own stock)

4 tbsp double cream

Prep time: 45mins Cooking Time: 1 hour

1. Cut the sugar pumpkin in half, take out the seeds and pulp, then lay face down on baking paper in a roasting tin. Cook at 180 degrees / 350 Fahrenheit for 45 minutes or until soft. Once cooked scoop out the soft pumpkin and put to the side.

2. Melt the butter in a pan add the sliced onions, cook until soft (just browned)

3. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, chilli and curry powder - cook for 30 seconds to a minute (do not burn).

4. Add the stock and the soft pumpkin, if you prefer thinner soups over thick soup that's fine, just add water to get your desired texture, remember we are adding cream later too so don't over water.

5. Add the salt and pepper, I find it better to season as you go so it cooks through rather than getting that big hit at the end, this way it can be adjusted.

6. Bring to the boil to warm the mix right through then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.

7. let the mixture cool slightly before handling it, pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.

8. Pour back into the pan, stir in cream and serve.

Serve with more cream if you want to drizzle on a fancy pattern, crispy bacon and thick crusty buttered bread. Enjoy!