Nothing says Autumn more than a pumpkin and baked pumpkin soup is a great way to welcome all the wonderful sights and smells of the Autumnal season.
Light a fire, throw some cosy pj's on, curl up with a good book or movie and enjoy this cheesy cream feel good soup.
With a few ingredient adjustments, this recipe could be made very vegan inclusive.
Salt and pepper to taste to taste. White pepper works well too
50mlvegetable or chicken stock
100gGruyèreEmmantal or Cheddar
Chilli flakes - if desiredto taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180c/fan oven 160c/gas mark 4
Wash the pumpkin, and with a sharp, sturdy (serrated) knife cut a reasonable size hole in the top of the pumpkin (ideally keeping the stalk attached to the lid and with a cut angled to allow the lid to sit back into top of pumpkin). With a strong spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh until inside is clean. Discard the insides.
Combine cream, stock, nutmeg, cheese, salt and pepper (chilli flakes if wanted) inside pumpkin, and replace lid.
Pat dry outside of pumpkin, brush with olive oil to coat outside of pumpkin.
Place in a shallow baking dish. Pop into oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, take off lid (CAUTION - inside will be steaming) poke fork into pumpkin flesh to check for tenderness. If not done, replace lid and put back into oven, checking every 10 mins until pumpkin flesh is fork tender.
There are 2 ways to combine pumpkin into the cream mixture.
1. Start scooping flesh inside pumpkin, mashing and stiring to combine until everything is incorporated, or
2. Remove all liquid from pumpkin, place in saucepan. Start scooping and removing cooked pumpkin flesh, adding to cream mixture, mashing and stiring until everything is combined. Reheat until bubbling, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with additional cheese.