Pumpkin and Bacon Soup
This silky soup highlights the sweet flesh of Crown Prince pumpkin, though butternut or onion squash work well too. It is enriched with double cream and topped with crispy maple-cured bacon, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a final drizzle of maple syrup for a perfect balance of savoury and sweet flavours. Ideal for a warming lunch or supper, it serves four people.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 50g butter
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 150g maple-cured bacon cut into small pieces
- 1/2 Crown Prince pumpkin or onion squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into medium chunks (you need about 500g pumpkin flesh)
- 1l chicken stock
- 100ml double cream
- 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds toasted
- maple syrup for drizzling
Method
- Warm the oil and 25g butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Cook the finely chopped onion with a pinch of salt for 10 mins until softened. Stir in 60g of the bacon pieces and cook for 5 mins more. Turn up the heat, add the pumpkin chunks and chicken stock, then season. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for about 40 mins until the pumpkin is tender. Pour in the double cream, bring back to the boil, then take off the heat. Reserve some cooking liquid, then blend the soup until smooth, gradually adding the reserved liquid back until you reach your preferred consistency. Pass through a fine sieve, adjust the seasoning, and set aside.
- Melt the remaining 25g butter in a separate pan. Fry the rest of the bacon with black pepper for 5 mins. Divide the crispy bacon between four serving bowls. Gently reheat the soup and ladle it over the bacon. Finish each bowl with a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories557 kcal
Fat43 g
Saturates20 g
Carbs19 g
Sugars12 g
Fibre5 g
Protein21 g
Sodium880 mg
Salt2 g
Recipe details
Skill levelEasy
CategoryMain course
