From "Caribbean Cooking for Pleasure"
by Mary Slater - Hamlyn Books
ISBN 0600 00879 7

2 lb. pumpkin
Salt
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped chives

  
sprig parsley
2/3 cup chicken stock
paprika
2/3 cup single cream

Cut the pumpkin into four big pieces and cook in boiling salted water for 15 minutes. Drain, scoop the flesh from the skin.

Put the pumpkin and all the other vegetables, the parsley and the chicken stock with half the chives in the saucepan. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer very gently for 35 minutes with the lid on.

Turn the heat off and allow to cool slightly, strain the contents and work the vegetables through through a sieve with a spoon (if too much stock remains, pour off some of the liquid. You may also want to run it through a blender or food processor instead of working it through a sieve).

Hot: Season with paprika or pepper sauce and a very little salt to taste. Stir in half the cream and mix well, then pour into the serving bowl.

Cold: Allow the puree to become almost cold, then season it with paprika or pepper sauce and a very little salt to taste. Stir in half the cream and mix well, pour into the serving bowl and refrigerate until fairly thick and firm.

Just before serving, swirl in the remaining cream and sprinkle with the remaining chives.

Splatterflinger's Easy Pot

Cut the hard skin off the pumpkin and discard. Chop the flesh into several medium-sized chunks. Put all of the ingredients - except the cream and half the chives - into a saucepan of already boiling water with two good pinches of salt. Bring the water back to the boil, then turn the heat down quite low and simmer very gently for 45 minutes with the lid on.

Turn the heat off and allow the soup to cool slightly. Pour off the liquid stock separately into a jug or measuring cup, and then put the vegetables into a blender or food processor and whizz, adding stock back to the soup until you have the desired texture (fairly thick, but neither too thick nor too watery).

Hot: Season with paprika or pepper sauce and a very little salt to taste. Add half the cream, mix well and pour into the serving bowl.

Cold: Allow the puree to become almost cold, then season it with paprika or pepper sauce and a very little salt to taste. Add half the cream, mix well and pour into the serving bowl and refrigerate until fairly thick and firm.

Just before serving, swirl in the remaining cream and sprinkle with the remaining chives.

Usefulness

Created to be served cold, this is a great nutritious soup for minimum-fuss picnics or meals where the dishes can be prepared a few days beforehand.