Pumpkin and Bacon Soup

If you have leftover pumpkins, I have the perfect recipe for you! The sweetness of the pumpkin goes brilliantly with the bacon to make a beautifully smooth and warming soup. It takes less than an hour to prepare, and would be brilliant as a starter for thanksgiving :)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 150g (2/3 cup) bacon (whichever is your favourite, smoked is particularly lovely), chopped into bitesize pieces
• 500g (2 cups) pumpkin or squash flesh, chopped into small chunks
• 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
• 100ml (3/8 cup) reduced fat creme fraiche
• 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. On a low-medium heat add the onions and a splash of water - this prevents the onions burning without adding unnecessary oil. Cook until the onions have softened, adding splashes of water when the pan looks dry. This will take about 10 minutes.

2. Add half of the bacon to the pan and fry for 5 minutes, or until the bacon has released its fat. Transfer the bacon and onions to a large saucepan and add the pumpkin and stock to the pan. Season then bring to the boil.

3. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes, until the a knife passes easily though the pumpkin. 

4. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the creme fraiche.

5. Blend the soup until smooth (I used a nutribullet). 

6. Fry the remaining bacon and the pumpkin seeds in a frying pan for 5 minutes. Scatter over the soup when serving.

7. Enjoy!!