Pumpkin Soup

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (fan 180 °C). Toss the pumpkin cubes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a roasting tin and roast for about 30 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and soft.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter and the remaining oil in a large pan, add the onions, garlic and about three quarters of the chilli, cover and sweat over a very low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until completely soft.
3. Add the roasted pumpkin and hot stock to the pan and blend until smooth with a hand blender; for an especially smooth soup, blend in batches in a jug blender.
4. Warm the soup over a low heat, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and finally stir in the cream; do not boil again after that.
5. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a swirl of cream and the remaining chopped chilli.

Drink with it

• White wine · excellent match

  Pinot Gris (Grauburgunder) or lightly oaked Chardonnay

  Richness and mild acidity carry the cream, and the nutty and toasty notes of the wine pick up the oven-roasted pumpkin.

  Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing ↗

• White wine · good match

  Gewürztraminer, dry to off-dry

  Spicy fruit and a hint of residual sugar suit the nutmeg, mild chilli and the sweetness of the pumpkin.

• Fortified wine · good match

  Amontillado sherry, lightly chilled

  Nutty, oxidative notes meet the roasted flavours of the pumpkin, and the dry style stands up to the sweetness.

  Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage ↗

• Pale lager · good match

  Märzen or Festbier

  Caramelly malt sweetness picks up the roasted sweetness of the pumpkin, and the carbonation loosens the cream.

  Pils or Helles: What's the Difference? ↗