There is something so nourishing about a creamy bowl of soup.
It brings back warm memories of my childhood and my mum’s delicious pumpkin soups which we would scoop up with generously buttered toast.
It occurred to me the other day that I had never attempted to recreate this family classic.
This needed to be amended immediately!
Of course there was going to be a little twist to the original which came with some added fennel and spicy crisped lentils.
Never fear, this soup still has the comforting essence of the original, with just a little edge to keep your tastebuds excited.
If you were in need of a wintery staple dish to get you through the next few months of chilly nights, this would be it.
A deliciously smooth and creamy pumpkin soup with a hint of aniseed flavour from fennel.
Roasting the veggies before blending them in to a soup really brings out the flavour and allows them to caramelise a little - a delicious improvement to the traditional stove top method.
This recipe makes quite a few serves (around 6 - 8) so it’s perfect to make on the weekend and then freeze for simple dinners or lunches throughout the week.
I’m not sure if this is a common problem, but as much as my tastebuds love the flavour of this soup, my mouth can’t bear to eat an entirely liquid meal.
Lentil crisp to the rescue!
Topping a steamy bowl of this soup with spicy, crunchy lentils and a few extra fennel leaves makes this a perfectly well rounded meal.
So go fourth into the winter nights with confidence!
This soup will be your fallback - stashed at the back of your freezer, awaiting the moment to brighten a dark, chilly night.