Parmigiano Reggiano and Pumpkin Soup

Fan of pumpkin soup but bored of the same old recipes? This Parmigiano Reggiano and pumpkin soup is a winter warmer and a spooky starter for any Halloween celebration.

Combine fried onion, pumpkin, vegetable stock and Parmigiano Reggiano rind and cook until tender. Add grated Parmigiano Reggiano to the vegetables, remove the rind and blend the mixture until smooth. To serve, sprinkle the soup with fresh parsley, top with French bread with melted Parmigiano Reggiano and season.

 

You Will Need:

Serves 4-6 150g (6oz) Parmigiano Reggiano, with rind

25g (1oz) butter 1

large onion, finely chopped

1 medium pumpkin (or butternut squash), peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks

900ml (1 ½ pt) hot vegetable stock

150ml (¼ pt) milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season 4-6 slices French bread Fresh parsley or thyme, chopped to garnish

Method:

  1. Reserve the rind from the Parmigiano Reggiano and cut it into chunks, then finely grate
  2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and gently fry the onion until softened
  3. Add the pumpkin, vegetable stock and Parmigiano Reggiano rind and cook gently for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender
  4. Remove the rind from the saucepan, transferring the soup to a blender and add the grated cheese, reserving 25g (1oz) for garnishing. Blend the soup, until smooth. Return it to the saucepan and add the milk. Stir thoroughly and reheat until piping hot
  5. Toast the slices of French bread, sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano on top and grill until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each portion with one piece of French toast
  6. To serve, sprinkle with fresh parsley or thyme and season with black pepper