I recommend you use the steely-blue skinned Crown Prince for this recipe – it has an excellent flavour. If you can’t find this variety, use another firm, orange-fleshed pumpkin (such as onion squash – also known as red kuri – and butternut squash), although the flavour will not be as deep.
SERVES 6
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions
2 garlic cloves
1kg pumpkin, peeled and cut into thick slices
1.5 litres hot vegetable stock made with 2 teaspoons Marigold bouillon powder
125ml double cream
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg
For the slow-roast tomato cream
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
150ml double cream
Begin by slow-roasting the tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 150˚C and line a baking tray with kitchen foil. Arrange the tomatoes on the tray, cut-side-up. Sprinkle them with the olive oil, some seasoning, and scatter over the thyme leaves. Bake for 30 minutes, and if the tomatoes need further dehydration turn down the heat to 120°C and continue cooking until they are sufficiently dried, checking every 10 minutes or so. Set aside.
To make the soup, start by preheating the grill on a medium-high setting.
Meanwhile, soften the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan, about 10 minutes.
Brush the pumpkin with the remaining olive oil and grill lightly, turning once, until the flesh is soft and golden on both sides, about 15 minutes.
Add the pumpkin and stock to the onions and bring to the boil. Simmer until the pumpkin is soft, about 15 minutes. Take the soup off the heat and blend using a hand-held blender. Add the cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
To finish the slow-roast tomato cream, chop the roasted tomatoes and blend them with the cream in a food processor.
Serve the soup with a dollop of slow-roast tomato cream in each bowl.