Pumpkin soup with rice, chili and sage
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Pumpkin has a mild flavour so it's all the better if pepped up. This soup includes rice for heartiness and chili and sage for depth. Roast the pumpkin with the herbs first to bring out the flavours.
Author:
Recipe type: soup
Cuisine: International
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 500g pumpkin, chopped into medium-sized cubes, skin removed and de-seeded
  • 1 ltr milk
  • 500ml stock (fresh or cube, chicken or vegetable), plus some extra water
  • 50g long grain rice
  • dried chili
  • fresh sage – a sprig
  • salt & pepper
  • olive oil
  • cream for serving, if desired
  • Parmesan to grate
Method
  1. Place the chopped pumpkin on a baking tray. Drizzle over a few tablespoons of olive oil and some chopped sage and roast in a pre-heated oven (200°C) for 40 minutes, turning over once to make sure the cubes roast evenly and don’t burn.
  2. When the pumpkin is tender, and slightly browned round the edges, remove, cool slightly and then whiz up in a food processor til smooth.
  3. Now, place the pumpkin puree’ in a heavy-based, deep-sided pan. Add the milk and stock, rice, crumbled dried chili and some more chopped sage to the pan. Heat to simmering and cook for around 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked (see packet instructions for timing). You may need some extra liquid (just add water) if the soup thickens too much as the rice swells. Stir occasionally to prevent rice sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  4. Remove from heat, cool slightly before whizzing up half the soup in a blender or food processor (in batches so you don’t have the liquid overflowing the blender). Stir blended portion back into the rest of the soup in the pan, reheat gently and serve drizzled with cream, some grated Parmesan and extra sage leaves, if desired.
  5. Serves around 4-6 portions depending on whether you have it as a main supper dish or a lighter lunch/starter.
Recipe by The Red Bistro at http://theredbistro.com/2012/11/21/pumpkin-soup/