Roast Pumpkin & Garlic Soup
Serves 4
2.5kg butternut pumpkin
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
salt & pepper
3 shortcut bacon rashers
1Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3tsp ground cumin
5C water
1 large vegetable stock cube
1/4C basil pesto
1 1/2Tbsp lemon juice
1/4C cream, to serve
1. Preheat oven to 200C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Peel and deseed and cut into 2cm pieces. Put these into the baking trays and scatter over garlic. Spray with olive oil spray and season with salt & pepper. Bake in the oven for 75 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, thinly slice bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes or until crispy. Drain on paper towel. Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat and cook onion for 5 minutes or until soft. Add cumin and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
3. Add water & stock cube and bring to the boil. Add roasted garlic (peeled) and pumpkin, reserving 2C pumpkin, and cook for 10 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes before processing with a stick blender until smooth. Add reserved pumpkin and cook until heated through.
4. Combine pesto & lemon juice in a bowl or empty sauce bottle. Ladle the soup among serving bowls and drizzle over pesto mixture and cream. Top with the bacon to garnish. Serve hot!
Nutrition Information (per serve)
Energy 1877kJ, Protein 22g, Fat (Total) 19.6g (Saturated) 7.2g, Carbohydrates (Total) 41.8g (Sugars) 27.5g, Dietary Fibre 8.4g, Sodium 982.6mg. 8.4 serves of vegetables.
(Adapted from: Australian Good Taste Magazine, Volume 12 Number 6 - July 2007)
