Quiescent - Baked Pumpkin Soup

Last whole month I was totally on move, up and down between Belgium, Spain, Switzerland and Paris. It was exciting and wonderful trips but.....not that I'm going to complain about travelling, I thought I should have schedule at least 3 week breaks between each trip. Well, after the storm, I curled up into my den for couple of weeks recovering (much needed I say!). 

During the days of recovery only thing I was eyeing, on the way to work through fields, was pumpkins. Belgium autumn so far has been bit nice, moist, humid and foggy. Every day the density of fog amazes me, wish there were some lakes here it would have been picturesque.....anyhow last weekend I walked to Saturday market, my most favourite activity during weekend to hunt for some fresh treasure. I did come back with last few honey melon, in season corn, pumpkin, peanut and fresh fresh walnut (This is delicious!) and lots more. Nothing makes my happier when my see my refrigerator filled with happy looking fruits and vegetable saying "eat me". Very obediently pumpkin was transformed in to this delicious pumpkin soup. It did get some good grade from fellow colleagues. I'm totally in love with pumpkin soups, if you have any other version do drop a note would love to try! 

Happy spooky autumn!

Ingredients

1 small pumpkin (1.75 kg)

5 springs of  fresh thyme

5-6 pods of garlic

2 stick celery

1 medium size carrot

1 medium size onion

1/2 tspn smoked hot (or sweet) paprika

Generous amount of extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt to taste

water according to desired soup consistency

Method

Preheat the oven to 220 degree centigrade 

Slice the pumpkin to 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges in a baking tray, splash in generous amount of olive oil. Pumpkin will soak up oil. Bake the pumpkin for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, spread fresh thyme spring and garlic pod with skin and bake for another 15 minutes. 

While the pumpkin is baking. Cube the pealed carrots, celery and onions. In a hot pan, add one table spoon of olive oil and sauté the vegetable along with salt and smoked paprika till they are soft but not mushy. 

After pumpkin is cooled, peal the skin and collect the pulp.  Blend together cooked vegetables, pumpkin pulp, baked de-skined garlic. Add water while blending and more salt if required. 

Serve warm with splash of olive oil and roasted pumpkin seeds.

Note: 

1. I used 6 pods of garlic while roasting and used only 5 pod for blending

2. To roast the pumpkin seeds, collect the seed from pumpkin towel dry the seeds and let them roast in wide bottom pan on low-medium heat. Peal the skin and serve along with soup.....or you could easily go with store brought pumpkin seeds.