Cinnamon and pumpkin soup

Method

• Prepare the pumpkin: trim off the top and retain as a lid, then carefully hollow out the flesh, discarding the fibres and seeds from the inside. Keep the shape intact so you can use it to serve your soup in.
• Cut 750g of pumpkin flesh into cubes.
• Heat a large saucepan with vegetable oil. Sauté the onions, cinnamon, leek, pumpkin, carrots and celery for about 3 minutes until slightly softened.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the stock and orange juice and bring to the boil.
• Make the bouquet garni by tying a piece of string around the bay leaves, thyme and celery sticks and add to the soup.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Simmer for 35 minutes.
• Remove the bouquet garni.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
• Brush the olive oil inside the pumpkin shell. Replace the lid on the top of the pumpkin. Place on a tray lined with non-stick baking parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes.
• Liquidise the soup until smooth. Return to the saucepan, reheat and adjust seasoning accordingly.
• Pour the soup into the cooked pumpkin shell and serve immediately.

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