Pumpkin soup

This year the supermarkets seemed to stock pumpkins for eating rather than just carving which meant I just had to buy some. The only thing is, pumpkins are pretty big and take a long time to eat on your own. Thankfully my sister came over for dinner, so a pumpkin soup seemed to be a perfect starter.

This was one of the best pumpkin soups I have ever made. It's got a triple chilli threat (red chilli, pepperdews and chipotle flakes) which would normally scare me, but it works really well. The olive oil gives another type of complimentary pepperiness but the pumpkin can take it.

It is a very deep and warming soup - perfect for a cold and blustery winter's day. As always the garnish(es) are critical from turning a good soup into superb one. I think I hit paydirt this time. I had roasted the pumpkin seeds in smoked paprika and chipotle flakes, which added add a good crunch. Then rings of pickled pepperdew peppers added a real spark, much like a citrus kick.

Altogether a thing of edible autumnal (winter?) beauty.

One thing I thought would make it even better, was if I had reserved some small chunks of pumpkin for the bottom of the bowl. I thin thee need to be deeply caramelised and tender. Probably fried in butter for a few minutes to give a bit of bite.

Anyway, on to the recipe.

Pumpkin and chilli soup recipe

Note: This was very much made by eye, so quantities are rough.

Ingredients:
Pumpkin, cut into chunks/slices
11/2 onion, sliced thinly
Red chilli, chopped (seeds removed)
1/2tsp cinnamon
Vegetable stock
Double cream, if liked
For the seeds: sea salt, smoked paprika, chipotle chille flakes
To serve: cream, olive oil, sliced pickled pepperdew peppers

Method:
1. Slather the pumpkin chunks in oil and season. Bake until soft (try 200°C for 30min and go from there).
2. While the pumpkin is roasting, bake the seeds too. Toss in oil, sea salt, smoked paprika and chipotle chilli flakes. Spread out on a roasting tray and bake until dried out and crisp. This will take about 10min but keep an eye out and check regularly.
3. Sweat the onion and red chilli in oil.
4. Once the onion is soft add the cinnamon and fry for about a minute.
5. Scoop the soft pumpkin flesh from its skin and add to the pot.
6. Add enough stock to just about cover.
7. Bing to the boil and then turn down to a simmer and cook for about 10minutes.
8. Blend the soup until smooth. Manage the thickness to your liking adding more stock to thin. You can also add double cream for richness too. Season to taste - go easy on the pepper!
9. To serve ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and cream. Scatter the slices of pepperdew and pumpkin seeds across the top.

Cider Cake

I was thinking about this cake when I made the toffee apple cake, the other week. This is another seasonal autumnal cake, but in complete contrast it could not be easier. It takes about 10minute to know-together the batter and only about 30min to bake.

This is a really satisfying cake. There's just more than a hint of apples with a pleasant warmth. It's not too rich nor too moreish: a decent chunk leaves you completely satiated.

It did make me think that actually combining this with the toffee apple cake, such as boiling the dates in cider rather than apple juice, really would result in an absolute cracker-jack of a cake.

When I finally finished it off a week later, I may have slightly embellished with some caramelised apples. Yes, it was goooooooood!

Cider cake recipe (taken from Paul Holywood's receipe on Baking Mad)

Ingredients:

100g butter
100g unrefined light muscovado sugar
2 eggs (large)
225g plain white flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
150ml dry cider

Method:
1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease a deep 18cm/7" round cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together with a handheld electric whisk until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon together.
3.Fold about a third of the flour mix into the whisked mixture, then fold in half of the cider, with a large metal spoon or spatula. Fold in another third of the flour, then the rest of the cider. Finally fold in the remaining flour until evenly combined.
4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared cake tin and gently level the surface. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
5. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and set aside to cool completely.