I have learned that soup, and lots of it, is the key to a calmer, more organized, Konmari-ish and just generally better life. Specifically, making lots of soup and keeping it in the freezer is the trick. There is an incredible soothing effect from having a filling, healthy meal always ready to go in about 10 minutes. Plus, they are pretty inexpensive and you can feel really smug about getting lots of vegetables.
Especially as the holidays bear down upon us all like a huge, looming, twinkling thing - soup in the freezer is the way to stability. If you can manage to make more than one type and freeze both, so you have soup variety in your life, you level up. Might I recommend tortellini chicken soup, roasted tomato or cream of mushroom to add some variety?
This soup is a great way to use up any straggler pumpkins left over from Halloween. If you have one hanging around, hurry up and use i or you might get an unfortunate liquefied pumpkin ooze mess, as I did this year. You can also use butternut, kabocha or any similar squash, or a mix.
pumpkin soup:
about 2 pound pumpkin
grapeseed or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed with the flat of a knife
1 shallot, quartered
1 tsp ground coriander seed
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili flakes
salt and pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
fresh cilantro and limes to serve
Heat oven to 400°. Halve the pumpkins and scoop out seeds and stringy pumpkin intestines. Brush with oil and sprinkle salt and pepper all over the flesh. Roast skin side down until flesh is very tender, about 1 hour. Let cool until the pumpkin isn't too hot to touch and peel off the skin. Set pumpkin flesh aside.
In a large stock pot, sauté the garlic and shallots in 2 tbs oil. When the garlic and shallot are soft and starting to colour, add the cumin and coriander seed, and sauté a couple more minutes, until the spices are very fragrant. Add chicken stock and pumpkin. Blitz with an immersion blender or in a food processor until very smooth. Return to low heat and add cream and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with some fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Freeze in single serve portions and rejoice.
Pumpkin magic. Bibbity bobbity boo.
