I had a bunch of butternut pumpkins in the pantry. 85c a kilo - what can you do? I've made pumpkin soup a gazillion times before. Plain as plain, with a chicken stock base, with a creamy finish, with herbs and spices, with red curry and coconut cream - you name it. Today I wanted to try something different. So I turned to Stephanie. Oh, Stephanie.
She told me to buy half a kilo of bacon bones and boil them for two hours with a bay leaf and chopped onion. (And allspice too, but I didn't have any of that, so I ignored that bit.) When I strained the stock, I was instructed to cook a kilo of chopped pumpkin, three potatoes and a tablespoon of paprika in it until the vegetables were soft and squishy. Then I had to blend the lot and serve it topped with some sizzling chorizo.
So I did, and it was delicious. Stephanie - she never lets me down.
Steph is a master - that is probably the best cook book to own - pick an ingredient you have excess of (last time for me it was cabbage), and Steph comes good every time (can't remember how she came good for cabbage, but she did!). Also, if you have excess carrots (I know, not likely), the carrot & orange soup is superb!! That was Annabelle's choice for her birthday dinner when she was 3!! Loved it!
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