Jill’s saporous and sustaining soup!

Otherwise known as pumpkin and root-vegetable soup with cinnamon and ginger.

½ Japanese pumpkin, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 large sweet potatoes, skin on, pricked with a fork
3 carrots, peeled, cut into large chunks
2 parsnips, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper
salt flakes
2 medium brown onions, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic
15 cm piece ginger, peeled and diced
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons anise seeds
1 litre vegetable stock

To garnish
Plain thick sheep’s milk yoghurt
2 handfuls chopped coriander
1 handful toasted pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons chopped roasted walnuts

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Oil and season the pumpkin and root vegetables and place on a baking tray, roasting for 45 – 60 minutes or until just tender.

While the vegetables are roasting, add a good slug of olive oil to a large saucepan and heat gently. Add the onions, garlic and ginger. Cook for about eight minutes or until the onions are soft and starting to caramelise. Add the cinnamon and anise and stir to combine.

Remove the cooked vegetables from the oven. Peel the sweet potato and chop roughly. Place all the vegetables in the pot with the onion and add the vegetable stock. (If you prefer a less dense soup use 1.5 litres of stock.)
Simmer for 20 – 30 minutes.

Once cooked remove the cinnamon stick and puree.
Check and adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve with a dollop of yoghurt, sprinkling of pumpkin seeds and roasted walnuts, coriander leaves and a squeeze of lemon.