Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is so seasonal and warming that it makes a great lunch or supper during the colder months. It is especially good when eaten with fresh bread and butter.. You can make it plain, although I often add some dried chili flakes or a whole red chili pepper, de-seeded or not depending on my mood. The addition of double cream is also very welcome and highly recommended for an especially cold or windy night.


Ingredients
1 pumpkin or squash (de-seeded and cut into chunks.)
700ml (or there abouts) of chicken or vegetable stock.
2 onions

Optional:
1 knob of fresh ginger
Tea spoon of dried chili flakes / 1 red chili

To cook:
Fry the onions until translucent and add the pumpkin and turn in the oil for 10 minutes until it starts to soften (add the chili / and or ginger at this point as well.)
Add the stock and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes until the pumpkin is very soft.
Whizz with a hand blender and serve with a good few grinds of black pepper and your fresh bread.