Serves 6

Large football sized pumpkin
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon spoon of chopped corriander leaves
2.5 tablespoon of butter
2 carrots
1 pint vegetable stock
1 chilli
1 teaspoon of Orange zest
salt
pepper

• Cut a hole in the top of the pumpkin and remove the cutaway section to make a plug
• Scoop out the seeds and dispose
• Scoop out the flesh and set aside
• Chop onion finely
• Chop garlic
• Chop chilli (leave seeds if you want the soup hotter)
• Chop carrots (small)
• Melt butter in a large pan
• Add the onion and carrot to the butter and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes
• Add garlic and chilli and cook for another minute
• Stir in pumpkin flesh, cover and cook for another 10 minutes
• Add chopped coriander and a little salt and pepper
• The next step depends on whether or not your pumpkin has released lots of liquid (if it's a bit ripe, you'll probably get more liquid)
• Uncover and simmer (actually a little higher than simmer) until the liquid has cooked away (won't get rid of all of it - this takes ages, perhaps 45mins)
• Or if (as happened to me the second time I tried to cook this!) The pumpkin doesn't release a load of liquid after cooking for 10 minutes, bang in the stock early and simmer, covered until it's cooked.
• Pour in the stock and liquidise using a hand blender
• Needs to be at pouring cream consistency
• Another good whizz on the blender
• Add a little creme fraiche and orange zest if desired
• Return to simmering point (probably give it another 10 or 20 mins)
• Serve

Notes:

If the soup seems to not have enough taste you can crumble half a stock cube into it to give it a little more flavour.