Recipe: Australian Pumpkin Soup (2)

Soups from Australia:

Pumpkin Soup

2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
800g ( 1 3/4 lb) pumpkin, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt, pepper
60 ml (2 fl oz) cream

Bring the vegetable stock to the boil. Add pumpkin, onion and garlic, simmer for 20 minutes or until soft. Puree soup in a blender until smooth. Return soup to the pot to reheat, season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour the soup into bowls. Decorate with a dollop of cream.
Serves 4

Australian Pumpkin Soup
(One of the old favourites)
Submitted by: David from Canberra, ACT
Servings: 6

1 tbs olive oil
2 medium brown onions, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 kg peeled deseeded, butternut pumpkin, cut into 2.5cm pieces
1 L (4 cups) vegetable stock
125 mls (1/2 cup) thin cream (optional)
Salt & Ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large wide based saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 4 minutes or until softened. Increase heat to medium-high add the cumin, coriander and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the pumpkin pieces and stir to coat well in the spice mixture. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft. Use a potato masher to mash together the pumpkin and stock until the soup is almost smooth. Stir the cream through the soup (is using) and season with salt and pepper.