Pum'kin love!

Another year, another Halloween, and what better way to celebrate it than with food and something crafty? This year I thought I'd try to push the pumpkin-carving skills little further than just sticking a knife into it and making holes, and also get to grips with making my first pumpkin soup. The Guardian newspaper got me started with a short article on how to carve, and a link to this guy, who is possibly the worlds most amazing pumpkin-carver EVER! Now fully inspired I was ready to go out and buy me a pum'kin!

The best thing about making a pumpkin lamp is that you get to eat the insides as well. Now I've never really been keen on pumpkin pie, but I'd never say no to a pumpkin soup. I found this recipe on the bbc website. I've changed it just a little by using the pumpkin seeds from the pumpkin instead of buying them. More on how to roast them later.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions , finely chopped
• 1kg pumpkins or squash (try kabocha), peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
• 700ml vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 142ml pot double cream
• 4 slices wholemeal seeded bread
• handful pumpkin seed from a packet

Serves 6 Prep 20 mins Cook 25 mins

1. Heat half the olive oil in a large saucepan, then gently cook the onions for 5 mins, until soft but not coloured. Add the pumpkin to the pan, then carry on cooking for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally until it starts to soften and turn golden.
2. Pour the stock into the pan, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins until the squash is very soft. Pour the cream into the pan, bring back to the boil, then purée with a hand blender. For an extra-velvety consistency you can now push the soup through a fine sieve into another pan. The soup can now be frozen for up to 2 months.
3. While the soup is cooking, slice the crusts from the bread, then cut the bread into small croutons. Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan, then fry the bread until it starts to become crisp. Add the seeds to the pan, then cook for a few mins more until they are toasted. These can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Reheat the soup if needed, taste for seasoning, then serve scattered with croutons and seeds and drizzled with more olive oil, if you want.

Yes. It really IS as good as it looks! Roasting the seeds was relatively easy. All you have to do is wash them in a bowl and try to take off all the gooey pumpkin strings you can. You then have to thoroughly dry them. This could be done with a hair dryer, or (as I did) you could just go out for a drink with friends and come back and hour or two later. Then:

• Pre-heat the oven to 135 C (275 F)
• Melt a tablespoon of butter and a table spoon of margarine, and mix in a squirt of lemon juice, a tablespoon of oregano, a splattering of cinnamon and a pinch or two of salt.
• Take the mixture off the heat, add the pumpkin seeds and mix them in well.
• Spread the seeds on some tinfoil and stick them in the oven for about 20 mins until golden brown

Yum!

The last step was the carving of the pum'kin itself, which I did with an apple-peeler knife. I think it came out quite well! This is the first time I've tried peeling the skin off the face of the pumpkin to add depth, and added a chimney to the top. I also tried the technique of smothering it all in Vaseline to try to extend its life. It has to last until Monday after all, if the kids at school are going to get to see it! Does anyone else there feel the pum'kin love? I'd love to know what squash-related activities you get up to, and see any photos of your pumpkin lanterns!