Pumpkin soup with parsnip, crème fraîche and walnuts

I never used to think much of pumpkins. Traditionally, in Greece, we use pumpkin as a filling in a sweet pumpkin pie made with phyllo (kolokythopita / κολοκυθόπιτα), but other than that, I never thought they could be used in anything else; I considered them more ornamental rather than edible.

Since relocating to the Netherlands, I’ve found more uses for pumpkin, with my favorite one being in soups. I love their earthy and sweet flavor plus they make the smoothest, prettiest-colored soups.

The other day, purely by chance, I came across a variety of pumpkin named Muscade (or Musquée) originating from the Provence region of France (you must have realized by now how much the Dutch love French products and food ingredients, and fortunately they can be found in abundance here).

It was beautiful and when I cut it open, the most unexpected pinkish-orange color made its appearance and an intoxicating aroma of sweet, ripe melon came over me. I got so carried away that I decided to cut a piece and eat it right then and there. Well, I should’ve known better, pumpkins are not meant to be eaten raw. I immediately started preparing it to make the soup. Apart from pretty, the pumpkin was also huge. It weighed around four and a half kilos so I ended up making three batches of this soup with a single pumpkin!

The flavor did not disappoint either; it was wonderfully sweet, earthy and nutty, and along with the parsnips, shallots and garlic, it made a very tasty and unassuming soup, elegant in both flavor and appearance. It was silky smooth, not very thick, crunchy from the walnuts with a pleasant acidity given by the crème fraîche.

It may be the ideal dish to serve as a starter during a holiday dinner since it’s quite light, with a mild flavor, and can be easily followed by meat, poultry or fish dishes. It is also perfect for those in-between-the-holidays days when you don’t know what to cook or you’re not in the mood to stay too long in the kitchen and are in need for something soothing. For whichever occasion you choose to make it, I hope you enjoy it!

You may also want to take a look at this pumpkin soup I made last year which is equally delicious.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas with good food and good company!

Pumpkin soup with parsnip, crème fraîche and walnuts
Slightly adapted from A kitchen in France by Mimi Thorisson

If you can’t find the variety of French pumpkin I used (Muscat / Muscade or Musquée de Provence), choose a similar one.

In Greece, parsnips are difficult to find, so if you can’t source them where you live, substitute half the amount with potato and the other half with carrot.

Yield: 4 as a main / 6 as a starter

Ingredients
4 Tbsp olive oil
6 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1½ kg (about 650 g net weight) Muscat pumpkin, peeled and roughly chopped
200 g parsnips, peeled and chopped smaller than the pumpkin because they are tougher
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper (if you don’t want the specks, use white pepper)
300 ml vegetable stock (or 300 ml water + 1 stock cube)
470 ml fresh whole milk

to serve
150 g crème fraîche
60 g walnuts, chopped roughly
A small bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped

Special equipment: immersion or regular blender


Preparation
In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the shallots and sauté for 6-7 minutes, until soft and golden, stirring continuously and regulating the heat so they don’t catch. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Add chopped pumpkin and parsnips and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. (If using stock cube, add it together with the vegetables).
Season with a little salt and pepper, and add vegetable stock (or water in case you’re using a stock cube) and milk. Bring to the boil over high heat, cover the pan with the lid and turn heat down to low.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. When the soup is ready, the milk may look split. Don’t worry about it, it will all come together once you blend it.

Remove from the heat, let soup cool for a while and then, if you’re using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables in the pan until smooth and creamy. If you have a regular blender, transfer the vegetables little by little to it and blend until you have a smooth and creamy soup. Return soup to the pan, give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve in individual deep plates with a dollop of crème fraîche, a few walnuts and a sprinkle of chives.

The soup keeps perfectly in the fridge for a couple of days and in the freezer for 1 month, in an airtight container.

Summer soup

Sometimes I feel like I’m cheating on this blog and on my readers with instagram. It’s like I’m leading a double life. The ease with which I share my everyday kitchen adventures there, is making it difficult to come here and write lengthy stories and detailed recipes.

I don’t like this to be honest. I want to share more here but then again the effortlessness of posting a single photograph on instagram, one that tells a story by itself, with just a caption below it or even without one, is particularly appealing to me.

Perhaps I need to change my perception of what my blog is or what I want it to be, the idea I have of it and the purpose it has for me. I want to be flexible and more spontaneous yet the fact that I write this blog in two languages makes it difficult to post as quickly as I’d want to. Perhaps I should also stop being such a perfectionist and not need to have all the photos of the process and the recipe written just so. I guess I need to work on these things in order to post more regularly here and share with you all the goodies I make. I want that so much! And believe me I have lots to share.

So in an effort to do that, I’m sharing with you a soup I made the other day. A watercress soup with green apple and super-quick pickled radishes. It is delicious, healthy and light, the best type of soup to enjoy during these first days of summer.

It can be eaten either warm or chilled and it is perfect either way. It’s not a thick soup but on the thinner side and scrumptiously light, with crunch and pungency coming from the pickled radishes. It’s a fresh, herby and vibrant soup with sweetness from the apple, potatoes and onions that tames the strong pepperiness of the watercress while the acidity and sourness of the yoghurt complements it.

Watercress soup

Use the freshest and best quality watercress as it will make all the difference. Don’t go for the packaged leaves but buy whole bunches of watercress with their stems. For those of you who haven't tasted watercress before, it is peppery and slightly bitter, reminiscent of rocket, and has the freshness of purslane.

I used my trusted mandoline to julienne the radishes, but a good sharp knife will do the trick as well.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely sliced
200 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Golden Delicious (green) apples, peeled and chopped
2 large bunches (about 400 g) fresh watercress with stems (tough stalks removed), chopped
1 liter chicken (or vegetable) stock
1 small bunch (about 20 g) fresh parsley, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

for the super-quick pickled radishes
6 radishes, cut julienne (matchsticks)
½ tsp white balsamic (or white wine) vinegar
½ Tbsp water

120 g Greek strained yoghurt, full-fat, for serving

Special equipment: mandoline (optional), small sieve, immersion or regular blender


Preparation
Add olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly until translucent and then add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring continuously and then add the potatoes and apples. Stir, cover the pot with the lid and cook over low heat for 8 minutes.

Add the stock and bring to the boil over high heat. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes and apples are very soft. Add the watercress and parsley and cook for 4-5 minutes with the lid open. Give the soup a taste and add salt and pepper.
Turn heat off and leave to cool for 5 minutes before liquidizing the soup.

In the meantime, in a small bowl, add the radish and the vinegar and mix with a spoon. Then add the water and mix again. Put aside for 5-6 minutes, then drain well using a small sieve.

Ιf you’re using an immersion blender, liquidize the soup directly in the pan until smooth. If you have a regular blender, transfer the soup little by little to it and liquidize until you have a smooth soup. Return soup to the pan.

Serve the warm soup into bowls, add a dollop of yoghurt and top with a few pickled radishes.

You can also serve it chilled.
Enjoy!

Roasted carrot soup with Puy lentils

Spring is officially just around the corner; unofficially it’s been here since last week. It’s sunny and hot, the birds are chirping and the bugs are going crazy, Dutch tulips are blooming and are prettier than ever, and the Dutch are reveling in the warmth, wearing their flip-flops and t-shirts. I, on the other hand, am still wearing my boots and long-sleeved blouses.

The pain I told you about from the wisdom tooth extraction is still present, however it is slowly fading and I’m heading towards a full recovery. I still can’t quite chew from the left side of my mouth and the right side is getting a real work out these days, so I have been making soups and smoothies and foods that are easy to chew.

To avoid feeling like an old lady, eating just watered down soups and soft rice, I’m trying to cook appetizing and flavorful dishes that will perk me up and put a smile on my face. Food has that effect on me.
This roasted carrot soup with Puy lentils managed to do just that.

Carrots are usually overlooked in favor of other vegetables and rarely take center stage. They lie in the background, enhancing the flavor of other ingredients, and together with vegetables like onions and celery create the base for bolder flavors to stand on and shine.

In this soup, though, carrots are the protagonists and along with a dash of ground fennel seed and some olive oil, they are first roasted in the oven. Don’t think of roasting the carrots as an unnecessary step, it is absolutely worth it as they lightly caramelize, creating a deliciously sweet flavor base for the soup.

Then they simmer for a while together with some onions, garlic, celery, some spicy, peppery ginger and woody thyme, and at the end, after the soup is puréed, the little green pebbles that are the Puy lentils go in and give the soup texture.

This creamy, beautifully orange-colored soup, speckled with the green lentils was enough to make me forget about my pain and enjoy it to the fullest. Hope you enjoy it too.

Roasted Carrot Soup with Puy Lentils
Adapted from Dutch Delicious

Puy lentils or lentilles du Puy as they are called in French, are lentils from the volcanic region of Le Puy-en-Velay in south-central France and they are the only lentils in the world that are identified by area of cultivation. They are small, green-black lentils with a blue marbling that have a very rich flavor and a superior quality, and they hold their shape when cooked, retaining their firmness.

You can use beluga lentils instead of Puy, or even regular small brown lentils, just make sure that you don’t boil them for too long as they need to have a bite to add texture to the dish.

It goes without saying that the best accompaniment is a good loaf of bread; I made a no-knead loaf.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
1½ kg carrots, peeled and sliced 2cm thick
1½ tsp ground fennel seeds
6 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 celery sticks, chopped
6cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs, plus extra for garnishing
1½ liter vegetable stock
200 g Puy lentils, rinsed well
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Lemon, to serve

Special equipment: large baking tray, baking paper, grater, immersion or regular blender, colander


Preparation
Preheat your oven to 180°C.

Line a large baking tray with baking paper and add the sliced carrots. Sprinkle with the ground fennel seeds, drizzle with 3 Tbsp of the olive oil and season with salt and ground black pepper. Mix everything well with your hands and place the baking tray on the middle rack of the preheated oven.
Roast carrots for 30-35 minutes or until slightly softened and lightly caramelized.
Remove from the oven and keep in the baking tray until ready to add to the soup.

In the meantime, heat the remaining 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, add the onions and sauté them, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add celery and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.

Then add the grated ginger, the thyme, the vegetable stock, the roasted carrots and the juices accumulated in the baking tray, a little salt and pepper, and bring to the boil.

Put the lid on the pan, turn heat down to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced a little and the carrots have softened.

While the soup is simmering, prepare the lentils. In a medium-sized pan, add 1 liter of water and bring to the boil over high heat. Add the lentils and ¼ tsp salt and boil over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until tender yet still al dente. Drain them well in a colander.

Once the soup is ready, remove from the heat and then, if you’re using an immersion blender, blend the carrots in the pan until smooth and creamy. If you have a regular blender, transfer the carrots little by little to it and blend until you have a smooth and creamy soup. Return soup to the pan.

Add the cooked lentils to the soup and stir well. Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve hot, garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh thyme leaves.
Have some lemon at hand to squeeze over the soup; it benefits from a hit of acidity to counterbalance its sweetness and earthiness.

Soup days

I used to dislike soups. I considered them a cure for the flu or the antidote to the common cold, and I mostly reserved them for when they were truly needed, like when my tummy felt funny. I think everything changed when I moved from Greece to the Netherlands where the winters are far colder and the need for warming soups is far greater. Now I can’t get enough of them.

I hadn’t had soup in a while and I had missed it. I longed for the arrival of chilly autumn days and guess what? They’re here with a vengeance, and a hot, hearty soup is all I have on my mind when it comes to supper.

Pumpkin soup was never in my repertoire until recently. It has become a staple and with good reason; its amazing flavor and color. I’m such a visual person that I can’t help but being drawn to that incredibly vibrant orange hue.

It makes me happy to look at this soup, to photograph it, to savor it. And then comes the real treat, its texture, that is smooth, creamy and velvety with miniscule grains of vegetables lingering on my tongue, slowly dissolving inside my mouth.

The garnishes on top are not for show, they’re not added to make the soup look more attractive, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but they give flavor and texture. An acidic, sour note from the dried cranberries, crunch and extra pumpkin flavor from the pumpkin seeds, freshness and grassiness from the parsley, and the hint of nutmeg that's hidden inside the soup brings it all together without being overpowering.

As each flavor bursts in my mouth, I realize that what I’m savoring has character, substance. It is sweet and salty and sour and earthy, and then, with the next mouthful, the ride starts again and I never want it to end.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Dried Cranberries
Barely adapted from Dutch Delicious

For me, creamy soups should still be soups, not purées, and this is truly creamy without being stodgy.

Make sure to cut your vegetables equal in size so they cook at the same time.

You can omit the cream if you want a lighter version of the soup or substitute it with whole milk.

The soup definitely needs the addition of lemon juice at serving to cut through the sweetness of the pumpkin and vegetables. Use more or less depending on your taste.

Yield: 6-8 soup servings

Ingredients
4 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for garnishing
1 onion (about 150 g), roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
600 g (1 small) peeled pumpkin, cut into pieces
1 large potato (about 300 g), peeled and cut into pieces
2 carrots (about 400 g), cleaned and cut into pieces
1 leek (about 150 g), white and pale green parts only, cut into pieces
½ tsp grated nutmeg
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
750 ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
500 ml hot water
125 ml cream, full-fat
1-2 Tbsp hulled pumpkin seeds
1-2 Tbsp dried cranberries, chopped
A handful of fresh, flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Special equipment: immersion or regular blender


Preparation
In a large, heavy-bottomed pan (I used an enameled cast-iron pan), heat olive oil over medium heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until they soften, stirring regularly so they don’t catch.

Add garlic, pumpkin, potato, carrots, leek, nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Then add the chicken stock and hot water and mix again. Turn heat up to high and bring to the boil. Then turn heat down to low, put the lid on the pan and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.

In the meantime, in order to toast the pumpkin seeds, add them to a dry, small pan and place over medium heat. Toast seeds, stirring regularly so they don’t burn, until they become fragrant. Empty them immediately onto a plate and let them cool.

Once the soup is ready, remove from the heat, let cool for a while and then, if you’re using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables in the pan until smooth and creamy. If you have a regular blender, transfer the vegetables little by little to it and blend until you have a smooth and creamy soup. Return soup to the pan.
Place the pan over low heat, add the cream and stir well. Give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Allow to come to a simmer and remove the pan from the heat.

Serve in deep bowls. Stir in a couple of squeezes of lemon juice and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped dried cranberries, some chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

The following day, the soup will taste even better, as all soups do.