Soup Season

My recipe silence of late has not been for want of trying. In fact, in the last month I've been inspired to try many new culinary adventures. Out of our little kitchen has poured a variety of new creations such as; challah, braised beef cheeks, hot cross buns, garlic-pepper chicken, a traditional passover dinner, homemade marshmallows, slow-cooked lamb, lemon curd shortbreads, or last night's prime addition; Baileys and chocolate ice cream. 
No, my silence has rather been an effect of becoming so caught up in the joy and interest of creating that I forget to capture the journey until my plate is about 7/8th's clean.
But finally, after the previous failed attempts, I snapped a dish in the making - Roasted Pumpkin Soup. 
I love soup. It certainly hasn't been a lifetime love-affair, and it never has the hit to be a show-stopper but in the last few years my fondness for the versatile, humble meal has grown. Soup is forgiving; you can bend the recipe to fit your palate desires or pantry lackings. It's empowering; you can feel just quietly self-proud for putting potentially wasted, slightly mushy veges to good use or boiling up last night's roast meal bones to make that base stock. Furthermore, it's easy, budget-friendly and importantly; the perfect excuse for some delicious fresh crusty bread (smothered in melting butter).
So it was with a smile that I pulled out my big soup pot and set to work concocting the first batch of the season, beginning with an old classic, and my sister(-in-law)'s request - pumpkin soup. I hope this recipe is somewhat similar to the one you were after!
I changed it up a little by roasting the pumpkin first, to give a more intense punch-of-pumpkin flavour, but it also works just as well by throwing in un-cooked pumpkin and letting it boil away to softness.
Welcome soup season.

*Note: the ingredient list below is more of an "approximation" of measurements, more of a there-or-thereabouts, thrown into the pot. Feel free to play around with quantities

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

1 onion, diced
knob butter (approx 20g)
1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3cm cube ginger root, finely grated
1 Pumpkin, peeled and chopped
1 litre chicken stock (homemade from a chicken carcass or purchased liquid stock)
1 can tomatoes (chopped or whole, it doesn't matter)
1 cup water
3 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin 
1 tsp ground coriander 
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper
+/- more water to reach desired consistency
Topping to garnish (drizzle of cream, crumbled feta or blue cheese, greek yoghurt, pumpkin seeds etc.)

Peel and dice the pumpkin

Roast at 180'c until soft and browned

Melt butter in oil in a large pot. Add onions, garlic and ginger, cook until softened

Add the roasted pumpkin, mix around, allow it to mush up then add the spices, stirring more.

Add the vinegar, tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper.

Puree with a stick blender or in a blender machine. Add water to achieve desired consistency (I had to add quite a bit) Season to taste.

Top with whatever toppings you prefer & serve with warm bread.