Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin cooked down with butter, crème fraîche and a pinch of nutmeg until smooth and velvety. It's rich, sweet and earthy, with a sweetness that balances the savoury depth, coating your mouth with autumn flavours without ever feeling heavy!
Ingredients
- 1,5 kg pumpkin potiron or potimarron work best
- 300 gr potatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 l vegetable stock
- 200 ml crème fraîche
- 50 gr unsalted butter
- 1 pinch nutmeg freshly grated
- 2 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs thyme
- salt and black pepper
Equipment
- 1 hand blender or regular blender
Instructions
1. Prepare the vegetables
- Peel the pumpkin (unless it's potimarron, which doesn't need it) and cut into rough 3cm chunks. Do the same with the potato. Don't overthink it, it's all getting blended.
2. Sweat the aromatics
- Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, without colouring. Add the garlic for the last minute only.
3. Add the main vegetables
- Tip in the pumpkin and potato and stir to coat in the buttery base. Let everything sweat together for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges start to soften.
4. Add liquid and herbs
- Pour in the stock, just enough to cover (top up with water, not more stock, if needed). Add the bay and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Simmer until tender
- Partially cover and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are completely soft and collapsing. Fish out the herbs.
6. Blend until smooth
- Blend until completely smooth, using a hand blender in the pot or a jug blender in batches (carefully, hot soup expands). You're after velvet, not chunks.
7. Finish with cream
- Over low heat, stir in the crème fraîche. Season with salt, white pepper and a dash of nutmeg. Taste and adjust.
8. Serve properly
- Ladle into warmed bowls. Add croutons if you've made them, and a final swirl of cream to impress anyone watching.
Notes
- Blend it longer than you think. Properly smooth is what makes this soup. It's the biggest difference-maker.
- Too thick? Thin with stock or water. Too thin? Simmer with the lid off for 10 minutes.
- Make it a day ahead if you can. It improves overnight.
- Freezes brilliantly for up to 3 months. Ideally freeze before adding the cream, and stir it in fresh when reheating.
- No crème fraîche? Double cream works, just use a bit less.