Smashing Pumpkin Soup

It's almost Hallowe'en! And aside from Jack-O-Lanterns, that means it's cooking pumpkin season. Some of our favourite pumpkin dishes include pumpkin pasta, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin loaf (picture banana bread, but better), but with our first pumpkin of the season, we always make a hearty pumpkin soup and serve it with fresh bread and butter. It's a great way to get autumn off to a nice start.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 small baking pumpkin (or butternut squash)

• 1L (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

• 1/4 cup plain yoghurt

• 2 garlic cloves

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized pot (a pot large enough to hold all of your soup), heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden. Add cumin and cook, stirring for 1 minute or until aromatic.

2. Add pumpkin to pot and stir to coat with onion and spice. Add stock.

3. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Add yoghurt, then use a blender or an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.

5. Serve with your favourite bread and butter or cheese.

Recipe adapted from Taste.com.au