PUMPKIN SOUP with WALNUT PESTO

One of the reasons that I welcome Autumn with open arms into my life is that it brings with it such pleasant food. Hearty meats, jam-packed salads and steaming hot soups come to mind when I think of the beautiful fall breezes and the trees delicately shedding their leaves. I may be a strange person in that I have been eaten soup all through February and some of January. Miso and rice noodle soup have been the convenient choice over these summery months, as I did not desire slaving over a hot stove to make homemade soup. With this recent deluge of rain I found myself cooking two soups last week. This is the first one, a simple pumpkin soup with sage and cannellini beans, adapted from ‘200 Veggie Feasts’ by Louise Pickford.

INGREDIENTS

Pumpkin Soup

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 kilogram kent pumpkin, seeds and skin removed & chopped into small pieces
• 400g tin cannellini beans, washed & drained
• 1 litre vegetable stock, preferably Massel 

Walnut Pesto

• 40g walnuts, chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped & trimmed
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• a large handful of rocket leaves, washed 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 

COOKING 

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan over low heat, adding onion, garlic and sage. Stir often for 4-5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add the pumpkin pieces and beans and continue to stir for 1 minute. Add stock and a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft. 

2. Meanwhile, make pesto by combining the walnuts, spring onions, garlic and rocket in a food processor. Process on high for just a few seconds, until ingredients are finely chopped. With the motor running, add in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove pesto from processor and season with sea salt & ground black pepper. Set pesto aside and wash food processor for step 3, unless you have a spare food processor or blender on hand. 

3. Once pumpkin is tender, pour the soup into a clean food processor or blender and process/blend until smooth. Return soup to the saucepan, season again if need be and heat through. 

Serve the soup in warmed bowls, topped with a spoonful or two of the walnut pesto. 

Serves / 6

Total Preparation time / 20 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 45 minutes 

x Emily