October Recipe of the Month

If you’re looking  for a delicious, warming recipe then try this hot pumpkin soup. A nice easy recipe if you’re having a Halloween party or want to fill the kids up before they go out trick or treating!

 

PUMM’S HOT PUMPKIN SOUP
INSPIRED BY THE LEGEND OF ZELDA

I may have gone a tad overboard with the Zelda recipes in the last cookbook. I can’t help how I feel, okay? The heart wants what the heart wants. But really, The Legend of Zelda is basically the whole reason I started the Geeky Chef blog, so it felt right to have a lot of Zelda recipes. Not to mention it’s one of the most beloved video game series of all time. I’m practicing more self control this time around, but I’m still including a recipe in this volume. If you don’t like it, play some Zelda and reconsider.

This one appeared in “Skyward Sword.” In Pumpkin Landing, one of the sky islands surrounding
Skyloft, there is a pub called The Lumpy Pumpkin. There, Link can buy some pumpkin soup from the pub owner, Pumm. Try saying that three times fast. . . . Although this is another pumpkin soup from Zelda (try Yeto’s Soup from the blog and the first cookbook), I wanted to make this one its own thing and have a different flavor profile. This recipe is for a warm, comforting, puréed pumpkin soup that’s so delicious, you won’t even care about all those pots and that really expensive chandelier that Link just broke.

Serves 2–4

2 sugar pumpkins or 2½ cups (560 g) canned pure pumpkin
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
5 shallots, peeled and diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups (475 ml) chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup (235 ml) coconut milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon thyme
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Savory Seasoning Blend (page 12), to taste
Toasted pepitas, to garnish (optional)
1 sugar pumpkin, to serve (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If using pumpkin purée, proceed straight to step 4.

2 Using a sharp knife, cut off the tops of the sugar pumpkins then halve both the vegetables. Use a sharp spoon to scrape out all of the seeds and strings.

3 Brush the flesh with oil and place the pumpkins face down on the baking sheet. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the skin. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then peel away the skin and set the pumpkins aside.

4 In a large saucepan, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until slightly browned and translucent.

5 Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.

6 Transfer the soup mixture to a blender and purée the soup, then pour the puréed mixture back into the cooking pot.

7 Continue cooking over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings to your preference.

8 Serve in a bottle or serve in another sugar pumpkin cut in half with the guts removed, if you like.

If this mouth watering recipe has inspired you to try some more recipes from The Geeky Chef Strikes Back, then head over to our giveaway page to win a copy. Alternatively, you can buy your copy HERE for £6.14 (RRP £12.99) + Free UK delivery.

Credit info:

 Photo Credit – Bill Milne

Text Credit – c/o Cassandra Reeder and Race Point Publishing, an imprint of the Quarto Group