Spiced Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Goats' Cheese Croutons

Ingredients:

1kilo pumpkin, deseeded
25g Unsalted Butter
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded & chopped
750ml vegetable stock
1tsp ground cumin
375ml whole milk
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to season
1 Pyrex Non-Stick Oven Tray
1 Kenwood Food Processor

For the goats’ cheese croutons:

1 small baguette, cut into slices
2 tbsps olive oil
125g English soft goats’ cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

2. Place the pieces of pumpkin flesh-side down on a large Pyrex Non-Stick Baking Tray. Cover tightly with foil and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and scoop out all the flesh and set aside.

3. Roast the pumpkin. Melt the butter in a Pyrex Saucepan and sauté the onions, garlic and red chilli until soft but not brown.

4. Add the cooked pumpkin flesh, stock, cumin and seasoning. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. While the soup is cooking, make the croutons: Brush the bread slices with olive oil, place on a Pyrex Non-Stick Oven Tray and bake in the oven until crispy and golden. This will take 5-10 minutes.

6. When the soup is cooked and cooled slightly, blend in the glass liquidiser attachment of your Kenwood Food Processor.

7. Return to a clean pan and add the milk. Reheat the soup without allowing it to boil. Check the seasoning.

8. Spread the cooked croutons with the soft goats’ cheese.

9. Serve the cooked soup in warm bowls with the croutons on the side, or even placed on top just before serving.