What to do with all the pumpkin: great soup recipe

Pumpkin soup in autumn, like cold borscht in summer

Many people associate pumpkins with autumn: falling leaves, cooler weather, more frequent rotations in the kitchen, and perhaps Halloween decorations. In fact, many people probably think of a pumpkin as a vegetable, but the truth is that it is a fruit—a nutritious fruit enriched with vitamins and minerals that becomes almost indispensable in autumn. After all, when the weather cools down, we often want to eat more, so the nutritious pumpkin should be a frequent visitor in our kitchen.

Pumpkins have many different uses in the kitchen, from the fruit to their seeds or juice. Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene, an important antioxidant converted into vitamin A in the body. Including pumpkin in your diet can help reduce the risk of cancer and protect against asthma and heart disease. Some scientists claim that pumpkin, like other cucurbits, can help fight obesity and diabetes and help you stay energetic and healthy^[1].

Of course, after reading about all these health benefits, when you rush out to buy or bring pumpkins from the garden, you may be faced with a simple question: What to do with them?

The good thing is that pumpkin has become very popular and frequently used in the kitchen lately, and recipes with it are plentiful. On the other hand, once you've tamed the taste of pumpkin and tried various cakes and soups with it, you want something new and new. In fact, even a fairly easy pumpkin soup can become a real gourmet dish that can impress your family and friends if you take a bold and creative approach and add your own spices to reflect the flavor permutations^[2].

Pumpkin is not just a decoration: simple recipes for a hearty soup the whole family will love 

Pumpkin soup is probably the easiest dish to make with pumpkin and is a dish that everyone will love. A warm, orange-colored soup that warms up on a cool autumn afternoon while filling your body with nutrition - what could be better?

However, if you're tired of the usual flavors, you can always improve and create your own recipes. If you like pesto sauce and fresh greens, you won't be disappointed with the pesto and sage pumpkin soup with roasted garlic. This is an easy-to-make version of the traditional pumpkin soup, which is a little more filling and has a distinctly rich flavor and aroma^[3].

To make the soup you will need:

• 1 large butternut squash;
• 1 large spoonful of olive oil;
• 6 large tablespoons unsalted butter;
• 2 small heads of garlic;
• Handful of thyme;
• 4 glasses of stock;
• 1 glass of coconut milk + 1 glass of water;
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper;
• 1 large spoonful of maple syrup;
• A pinch of chilli. 

For the pesto sauce, you will need:

• 1 head of garlic;
• 1 handful of parsley;
• Handful of sage;
• Handful of pistachios;
• 1/4glass of olive oil;
• A pinch of blue cheese (or alternative);
• A pinch of pepper.

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. While the oven is preheating, slice the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and place the pieces in a baking dish lined with baking paper.
2. Drizzle the pumpkin slices with oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a few cloves of whole garlic between the pumpkin pieces. Roast for about 45 minutes, checking and tasting.
3. Cool the roasted pumpkin and garlic, reserving some garlic for the sauce. Then put everything in a blender and puree well. Mix the resulting mixture with the pre-prepared stock. Pour about a glass of the stock into the mixture, stirring constantly. Finally, season with pepper or other spices of your choice.
4. Bring a saucepan to the boil on the gas stove, add a few cloves of fried, crushed garlic and a tablespoon of butter. After stirring, shake out all the pumpkin puree, pour in the remaining stock, a glass of coconut milk and water. Stir the ingredients continuously. After 15-20 minutes, when the mixture is smooth, season it with herbs.
5. Once the soup is ready, you can also make the pesto sauce. Place the roasted garlic, parsley, sage and pistachios in a blender. Grind until everything is a smooth paste. Then add a tablespoon of oil, add the cheese and pulse again. Finally, season with salt and spices.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls or, if you are feeling particularly creative, you can carve small pumpkins and place them in the bowls. This will only make the dish even tastier and look great too. After pouring the soup, top it with a good spoonful of the resulting pesto sauce, and season with pepper or any of your favourite greens.