Pumpkin and ginger cream soup

Lately I make this or that vegetable cream soup every weekend. I like this kind of food, especially if they are made of vegetables only - cream or other thickeners make them a bit heavy for every day food. Many vegetables work well in them, but pumpkin and ginger is one of the most powerful combinations.


Pumpkin is very flavorful on its own, but if you add the heat of ginger to its sweetness, together with savory flavors of onion and garlic it becomes just heavenly. For those like me, who sometimes have trouble doing the same thing twice, the vegetable cream soups provide great space for imagination. Peas and celery root do well together. Carrot does too, especially if you add some freshly made pesto to the ready soup. I'm not even talking about broccoli cream soup, which I posted earlier.

To add to that they are truly rewarding - similar to vegan muffins. You make the soup over 20 minutes. It comes out absolutely beautiful and feels light and refreshing. For this soup I used butternut squash, but use any pumpkin you prefer.

Pumpkin and ginger cream soup (recipe is my usual one)

serves 4

1 kg pumpkin (peeled, deseeded and chopped into 2 cm cubes)
1 large onion (peeled and chopped)
1 clove of garlic (peeled and halved lengthwise)
3 cm piece of fresh ginger route (peeled and finely chopped)
olive oil
salt
small handful of toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Heat 1-2 table spoons of olive oil in a medium heavy base pan. Add garlic and ginger and cook stirring on medium heat for 2 minutes. Discard the garlic and add the chopped onions. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes, till the onion becomes transluscent (it shouldn't brown).

Add the pumpkin and pour in enough boiling water to almost cover the vegetables. Put the lid on, bring to boil and cook on low heat for 15 minutes till the pumpkin becomes soft.

Transfer the vegetables together with some of the liquid into the food processor and puree to get even texture (keep the rest of the liquid). Pour the puree back to the pan and set over low heat. Bring back to boil, adding enough of the cooking liquid to get the proper soup texture. Season with salt to taste and mix in 1 more table spoon of extra virgin olive oil. Serve hot, sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds (if using) and enjoy.

It is perfect on its own, but if you need to strengthen it - fresh cereal bread seems to be a good complement.

Related posts and pages:

Pumpkin and walnut muffins (vegan version)
Broccoli and gorgonzola cream soup
Ginger tea with orange and raisins
Pumpkin porridge for Russian winter
Pumpkin fritters