Pumpkin might be fun vegetable to carve at Halloween, but they are also great to eat! Pumpkins are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, and count towards your 5 a day. For more great facts about pumpkins head over to my blog all about pumpkins here.
The following pumpkin recipe can also be made with butternut squash when pumpkins are out of season. It has a mild but sweet flavour, with a smooth texture. If you are giving this to children under 1 year old, leave out the chilli. I use larger red chillies when I make this for the family as they are less spicy but you still get that nice warmth on a winter evening.
The chestnut dumplings are great for popping on top, or dipping in the soup. They make great finger foods for the little ones too. So give it a try and eat your pumpkin.
Ingredients
Soup
- Vegetable or olive oil
- Spring Onions roughly chopped
- 1 fresh red chilli deseeded and sliced
- 1 medium pumpkin or butternut squash cut into approx 2cm cubes
- 3 carrots sliced
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 3-4 sprigs of rosemary
Dumplings
- 100g vac-packed chestnuts roughly chopped
- 100g self raising flour
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
- 60g chorizo thinly sliced
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- pinch of nutmeg
- Cheddar cheese grated for topping
Method
In a large casserole pan add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and put on the hob on a medium heat. Add all of the soup ingredients to the pan, and add 500ml boiling water. Pop the lid on top, bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Whilst the soup is cooking add the chestnuts, flour, and onion salt to a large mixing bowl and use an electric whisk to mix together whilst slowly adding 100ml cold water until you get a firm dough. You can also use a food processor to do this, or if you are feeling strong a good old wooden spoon.
Split the dough in half and roll each piece into a sausage shape on a floured surface. Then cut into 2cm chunks. Fill a large pan with boiling water, add the dumplings, cover with the lid and simmer on a medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until fluffy.
Then add the sliced chorizo to a large frying pan with a tablespoon of oil on a high heat , and crisp up the slices. Then add the sage leaves, scoop out the dumplings with a slotted spoon, and add to the frying pan. Add a pinch of nutmeg, and toss it all together. Turn off the heat and leave to the side.
Return to the cooked vegetables, and use a stick blender or food processor to blend into a smooth soup. If you prefer your soup thinner then just add a little water and stir through.
Pour the soup into serving bowls, top with the dumplings and chorizo (or serve this on the side), and grate over as much cheese as you like.
I hope you like this recipe as much as I do!
If you would like to know more about keeping your kids healthy, have a browse of the rest of my blog. If there is anything you would like to know more about or have chat through something, then please just get in touch via my contact page here.