Pumpkin soup

Ingredients:
1lb 2oz(500g) of pumpkin, skinned, de-seeded & cut into large cubes
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 baking apple, peeled, de-cored & cut into large chunks
2 sticks of celery
1 tbsp of olive oil
½ tsp of cinnamon
2 pints of vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp of fresh sage, chopped
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Fresh parsley, for garnish

Methods:
01.Take a large saucepan with a lid and tall sides and place it over a low heat, then add the tablespoon of olive oil and heat it through. Then add the onions & garlic and sweat them with the lid on for 5 minutes until soft.
02.Next add the pumpkin, apple, cinnamon and combine together then replace the lid and sweat for a further 2 minutes.
03.Next add the stock, bay leaf, sage and season well. Bring the pan to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently half covered on a low heat for 20-25 minutes until the pumpkin and apple are tender
04.Allow the soup to cool considerably then remove the bay leaf and starting blending the soup in a food processor until smooth. Next return the soup to a clean pan and warm it through gently, alter the seasoning if required
05.Then garnish with a little parsley and serve with French bread.

Safety advice:
It’s advisable to allow soup to cool considerably before blending it in a food processor. When the liquid has cooled for a few minutes it can be blended in batches. It’s advisable not to fill the food processor above halfway when doing this.