PUMPKIN SOUP

I’m not even sure this requires a recipe, but here’s how I make mine.

Chuck some peeled pumpkin chunks and a few peeled garlic cloves into a pot. Add salt and pepper and a decent tablespoon of veggie (or chicken) stock powder - I use the Massel veggie stock from the supermarket. Cover with water.

Simmer for 20 odd mins - until pumpkin is soft.

Blend in blender (be careful!) or with a stick blender.

Taste that baby. Does it need more seasoning?

Add a splodge of cream/sour cream/yoghurt/creme fraiche if you like.

Level up by using leftover roasted pumpkin.

So easy. Freezes like a dream.

A BIT OF EVERYTHING SOUP

This baby has..

TEN vegetables (onion, carrot, celery, eggplant, zucchini, tomato, chilli, capsicum, spinach, garlic)

SPICES (smoked paprika, salt, pepper, tumeric)

HERBS (rogue parsley from the garden)

STOCK (homemade chicken because I had it in the freezer)

LEGUMES/GRAINS (can of chickpeas and half cup of red rice I found in the freezer)

MEAT (some mystery sausages in freezer that turned out to be turkey ones from the Sausage guy at the local market).

Need a method?

Big pot, medium heat, good slug of olive oil

Chopped onion, carrot and celery, stirred till onion gets a little colour (a CLASSIC cheffy thing called a MIREPOIX that acts as a flavour base for a zillion recipes. A technique to add into your cooking #TootSweet)

Chuck in rest of chopped veggies, stir around, let them catch a bit on the bottom of the pot to get some brown bits.. gently, gently

Chuck a tablespoon of paprika and tumeric in and stir around again.

Throw in raw sausies, grains/legumes and add stock to cover, probs a couple of litres.

Stir up all the bits from the bottom.. these are little flavour bombs.

Lid on and let this baby simmer. LOW HEAT.

I actually put the pot on top of the fire for about 3 hours.

Salt and pepper to taste.

I have eaten a bowl (or two) for the last 3 days with a slab of homemade sourdough smeared with pesto or avocado. A really solid meal, filling, nutritious and bloody #Yummy.

That’s it. Not hard, hey.

The best thing?? It gets tastier as the days go by. Will happily sit in fridge for 3 days and if there is any left, chuck it into the freezer.

The #TCMPerspective says..

FLAVOURS: sweet, pungent, neutral

BENEFITS: Spleen, Stomach, Heart, Lungs, Kidneys

ACTION: Tonifying AF* (NOT a classical action)