Dads' pumpkin soup

I don't think my dad is ever going to get a Nobel prize for cookery but I do think he makes the best pumpkin soup in the entire world!

Yesterday at work, I decided to look up some pumpkin soup recipes to see if I was missing anything in the modern world of pumpkin soup making - you know to see if anything had changed since last winter.

Photo: Don't play with your food

I did discover that most recipes over flavor the soup. I remembered that when ever I use my dads' recipe I am always surprised at how full of flavor and how many levels it has considering how basic the recipe is. I would have to say that it is definitely the best pumpkin soup bar a few of the (yet to be made) Asian pumpkin soup recipes with curry sauce.

Shopping cart:

1kg grey pumpkin
1 medium sweetpotato
1 large leek
garlic
1 large carrot
Sourcream
2-3 vegetable stock cubes
chives (garnish)
milk
1 medium sized orange
Plain flour
Salt and pepper

Slice the leek thinly, mince 5 garlic cloves, roughly chop the vegetables in small cubes* (the smaller the cube the quicker they'll cook), prepare the stock in a jub with 1.5L hot water.

* I usually cup my pumpkin pretty big cos it cooks quicker and then the sweet pot' a bit smaller.

1. Heat a pan with a stick of butter on a medium temp, once melted add the leek and stir. After a minute or so, once the leeks have become transparent add the garlic. Stir and let rest for 1 minute.

2. Add vegetables and stir till the leek mixture is covering vegetables. Sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes (lid on pot - stir every few minutes.

3. Once the vegies have gathered moisture add 1-2 tablespoons plain flour and stir to cover. Add pepper

4. Add vegetable stock. Bring to boil.

5. Simmer until vegies are cooked through.

6. In 3-4 batches process the soup in a blender (or use a handheld) and return to stove. Bring to good simmer and add milk till desired consistency. Add a good squeeze of orange to taste.

7. Serve in big bowls with chives and sour cream with lots of crunchy buttery bread.

It is so yummy - freezes well and is great for lunch the following day.

Note: Ant doesn't really like soup but he likes this one!