Get pumped up for Halloween

If you’ve succeeded in growing pumpkins this year and want to put them to good use, Haskins Garden Centres have got just the recipe for you.

Alasdair Urquhart, plant advisor at Haskins, commented: “Making your own pumpkin soup is simple and rewarding. Even if you haven’t had time to grow your own this year, you can still follow our step-by-step recipe.

“We recommend saving the seeds once you’ve scooped them out, so you can roast them and sprinkle on top of the soup, to bring extra flavour. For a novelty twist, you could try serving the soup using the pumpkin as a bowl.”

Haskins’ pumpkin soup recipe:

Ingredients
1 small pumpkin (roughly 1kg)
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 stems of rosemary
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp olive oil
500ml vegetable stock
150ml double cream
Salt and black pepper

Method
Cut the top off the pumpkin and divide into smaller chunks and scoop out the seeds. The seeds can be set aside and roasted in olive oil to either enjoy as a snack, or sprinkle over the soup when served.
Using a sharp knife, hollow out the flesh from the pumpkin and roughly dice.
Drizzle the honey and olive oil over and roast for 30 – 40 minutes, or until tender. Baste part way through to prevent the honey from burning.
Bring the stock to a boil and pour into a blender with the roasted pumpkin and double cream, adding black pepper and salt to taste. Blend until smooth and return to the hob to warm before serving.
Serving options include adding a swirl of double cream, more cracked black pepper, or roasted pumpkin seeds.

For those wanting to use the pumpkin as a lantern, Alasdair Urquhart from Haskins has the following recommendations: “Top tips for prolonging the life of your pumpkin include using battery-operated tea lights or glow sticks rather than candles, as the extra heat can speed up decomposition. We also recommend wiping the interior of the pumpkin with lemon juice to prevent browning of the fruit.”

Haskins has centres in Ferndown in Dorset, West End in Southampton and Roundstone and Snowhill in West Sussex.