MethodCut 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.
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