Smashing Pumpkin soup

My first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth memory of Pumpkin soup all happened in the same week. When I was about 13 my Mum and I took a bus trip to Melbourne to see "The Phantom of the Opera" and each night on our way there and back we stayed at a different motel where the evening meal was provided. The first night was a lovely pumpkin soup followed by beef wellington followed by apple pie and icecream. The second night was pumpkin soup, beef wellington and lemon cheesecake. A co-incidence we all thought. The third night was Pumpkin soup, beef wellington and Apple pie and icecream again. This was too funny. By the fourth night we started comparing recipes. "Well, I think Albury's pumpkin soup was much better than Wangaratta'a!", they'd say. "What? How about that beautiful sour cream art work in Goulburn!" Seriously.
Each soup was different but there were definate similarities. The taste of delicious sweet leeks,creamy pumpkin and of course what would pumpkin soup be without sour cream and snipped chives. Perfect. I hope you enjoy my version of this traditional soup. It is so simple.

ingredients

1 tablespoon each of oil and butter
1 brown onion finely diced
1 leek (approx 100g) finely sliced white part only
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 kg butternut pumpkin chopped into 2cm cubes
1 litre chicken stock

Black pepper, chives and sour cream to serve

How to make your pumpkin soup

Warm up the butter and oil in a large pot. Add the onion and leek and sweat over a low heat until very soft and sweet smelling. Make sure they don't colour. Next add the garlic and nutmeg and stir over medium heat until fragrant. About 30 secs. Add the pumpkin and give it a stir. Then add your stock. Bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling reduce to a moderate temp and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until the pumpkin is soft. Take off the heat and using a hand blender blend until smooth. Ladle into bowls and dollop a blob of sour cream in the middle, scatter some snipped chives and crack some freshly ground black pepper. Serves 4 - 5 people

Enjoy!