SPICED PUMPKIN SOUP

SERVES: 4
PREPARATION TIME: 25 minutes 
COOKING TIME: 1¼ hours

• 1 small pumpkin or butternut squash
• a little olive oil
• 1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 4 allspice berries, finely crushed
• a pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 litre/35fl oz/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp sweet chilli or sriracha sauce
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• ½ loaf of stale Ciabatta or Sharpham Park Farmhouse Loaf cut into 2cm/1in cubes 
• 1 handful of pumpkin seeds
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

Peel, de-seed and chop the pumpkin into chunks and scatter the chunks of flesh in a large roasting dish or baking tray. Drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft and has taken on a little caramelized colour.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over a low heat and fry the onions for about 8 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then add the allspice and cayenne and stir well. Add the roasted pumpkin, followed by the stock, sweet chilli sauce and vinegar. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Once the pumpkin is cooked, turn the oven down to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2. Scatter the bread onto a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the croûtons are dried out and very crisp. Remove from the oven andleave to cool.

Using a hand-held blender, carefully pulse the pumpkin soup until it is completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, with more salt and pepper. Serve in individual bowls with a drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of pumpkin seeds and the spelt croûtons.

Extracted from Spelt by Roger Saul © Roger Saul 2015
Published by Nourish Books, London. 
Hardback £16.99
Commissioned photography by Lara Holmes & Neil White