Duo Of Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Roast the pumpkin

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the cubed pumpkin with 2 tbs olive oil and a pinch of salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 30–35 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden and soft. Remove and let cool slightly.

Sweat the aromatics

In a large heavy pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery and cook gently for 8–10 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned. Add the minced garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.

Simmer the soup

Add the roasted pumpkin to the pot with the vegetables. Pour in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 10 minutes to meld flavors. Remove thyme sprigs.

Purée until smooth

Use an immersion blender (or transfer in batches to a blender) and purée until completely smooth and silky. Return to low heat. Stir in the heavy cream, nutmeg, salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm while preparing purée and toasts.

If using roasted pumpkin from earlier, reserve 200 g and press through a fine sieve or blend until very smooth and thick. In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and continue cooking until it turns golden brown and fragrant to make brown butter. Add the smooth pumpkin purée, maple syrup, cinnamon, cumin and salt. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until slightly reduced and glossy. Remove from heat and keep warm. This component should be thick enough to spoon or pipe small quenelles.

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F) or set a toaster oven. Brush both sides of the thin focaccia slices with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 12–18 minutes, turning once midway, until crisp and dry (Melba-toast like). Let cool completely — they will crisp more as they cool.

Combine black garlic cloves, neutral oil, parsley leaves, lemon zest and 0.25 tsp salt in a blender or small food processor. Blend on high until very smooth and emulsified, about 45–60 seconds. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois if you want a silkier oil. Store at room temperature briefly or chill slightly. If chilled, bring to room temp before finishing the dish.

Warm bowls. Ladle a generous portion (about 300–350 ml) of the creamy roasted pumpkin soup into each bowl as the base.

Spoon or pipe 1–2 tablespoon-sized quenelles of the spiced pumpkin purée onto the surface of each bowl of soup to create the 'duo' effect. Alternatively, place one quenelle and one smear with the back of a spoon.

Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the black garlic & parsley oil across the soup and over the focaccia melba toast for contrast. Place 2–3 pieces of focaccia melba toast on the side of each bowl or resting over the rim.

Scatter toasted pumpkin seeds and microgreens over the soup. Finish with a light drizzle (about 1 tsp) of extra virgin olive oil and a crack of black pepper.

Serve immediately so melba toasts remain crisp.