Pumpkin and Ginger Velouté, a creamy and comforting soup perfect for autumn and here’s how you make it!

INGREDIENTS

1 small pumpkin (about 2-3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Olive oil, for cooking

sprigs of thyme

2 pcs bayleaves

120g butter (cut into cubes)

Toppings: pumpkin seeds, chopped chives, croutons

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the pot. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add the pumpkin chunks to the pot and pour in the vegetable or chicken broth add sprigs of thyme and bayleaves. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pumpkin is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove the pot from the heat, remove the bayleaves and use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend in batches.
5. Return the puréed soup to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, you can add more broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
6. Return the pot to the heat and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, while adding bits of cold butter to heat the soup through and stir until smooth consistency.
7. Serve the Pumpkin and Ginger Velouté hot, garnished with pumpkin seeds, chopped chives, or croutons.