Autumn is the time for soups and pumpkins and golden colours reflecting the changing of the season. One of my favourites is roasted vegetable soup with lots of pumpkin.
Why roast the vegetables? It’s simply delicious.
The ‘Maillard Reaction’ is a chemical reaction between the amino acids, proteins and sugars in the specific food you intend to use.
What does this mean? It means that this type of cooking produces lots of different types of molecules that have strong flavours that we all enjoy. Roasting brings out the natural sugars creating a tasty deep flavour. I love it!
Cut into cubes or small pieces before baking
In October there are pumpkins everywhere!
We find pumpkins in our homes and schools and it is a superfood because it contains high levels of essential vitamins and minerals; beta-carotene, great for our eyes is one of the best known sources.
Celebrate the ‘tricks or treats’ during Halloween, but be sure to use the season as an inspiration to teach learners about sustainable food behaviour; pumpkin pulp can be used for our gardens or farm composting.
Lia’s simple recipe
Ingredients: 500 kg pumpkin, 4 medium-sized potatoes and carrots, a large onion (leeks if you like) , a big celery stick, 1/2 a cup extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper, stock cubes and water. Serve with ciabatta bread, focaccia or your favourite bread.
Let’s make the soup: put all vegetables in a baking tray ( line with baking paper) and season with pepper, salt and olive oil ( half the quantity) and toss to coat. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Cut the vegetables into cubes before baking. Put the rest of the olive oil in a soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add all the roasted vegetables, stock and water. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Blend the vegetable mixture. Ladle into serving bowls and drizzle with oil and if you like cream.
Serve with toasted ciabatta slices.
Always preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.
