Pumpkin cream soup with roasted pumpkin seeds and croutons

Ingredients for 5 servings:

• 1 Hokkaido pumpkin (se), approx. 1 kg
• 2 m.-sized onion(s)
• 2 m.-sized potatoes
• 2 m.-sized carrot(s)
• 1 package of cream (200 ml)
• 2 cloves garlic
• some soy sauce
• some balsamic vinegar, optional
• some bread(s), stale
• some salt and pepper
• some nutmeg, grated
• some vegetable stock powder
• some olive oil
• n. B. water

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 13 hours 30 minutes

vegetarian, simple and good for freezing

It’s best to buy the Hokkaido pumpkin (you can eat the skin) a day in advance and cut it in half. Remove the strings and seeds. Wash the seeds and store them in a container of salted water overnight – this helps to make it easier to remove the flesh from the seeds. Remove the stem and the opposite side of the stem from the pumpkin and cut the pumpkin into strawberry-sized pieces (larger or smaller pieces will work depending on the blender you use). Roasted pumpkin seeds: Remove the seeds from the salted water and separate them from the flesh as best as possible. Then let the seeds dry on a kitchen towel (preferably not Zewa). Mix the dried pumpkin seeds with a little olive oil and salt and spread them out on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Roast in a preheated oven at 200°C (top/bottom heat) for about 10-15 minutes, turning once or twice during the process. Pumpkin Cream Soup: Dice the onions and finely chop the garlic or press it through a garlic press. Peel or wash the potatoes and carrots, if necessary, and chop them into large pieces (as with the pumpkin). Sauté the onions and garlic in a deep pot in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the onions are translucent. Now add the pumpkin, carrots, and potatoes and sauté briefly. Deglaze the pot with enough water to cover the vegetables and allow them to float slightly. Add the appropriate amount of vegetable stock powder and the cream. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and a dash of soy sauce. Bring to a boil briefly, then simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and puree everything thoroughly with a hand blender. Season to taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Croutons: Cut the bread into small cubes and toast in a hot pan with a little olive oil until golden brown. To serve, simply sprinkle some croutons and pumpkin seeds on top of the soup. Optionally, drizzle with a few strips of balsamic vinegar. Tips: I use one slice of bread per serving of soup. The soup can be frozen without croutons and pumpkin seeds for later consumption.