Carina's pumpkin and pear soup

This soup is a great way to use up the pumpkin flesh and seeds after it has been carved out.

Ingredients: (serves 4-5)
•    50grams unsalted butter
•    50grams pumpkin seeds
•    1kg pumpkin flesh, cut into pieces
•    1.2 litres hot vegetable stock
•    400grams onions, coarsely chopped
•    100grams mature Cheddar, grated to serve
•    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
•    2 firm pears
•    Salt & black pepper

Method:
1.    Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat then add the onions and fry gently until translucent. This will take about 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin, stir well then season with salt and add the hot stock. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.
2.    Meanwhile put the pumpkin seeds on a baking tray in an oven at 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Turn the seeds occasionally until toasted. Set aside. Peel the pears and chop coarsely then add to the soup and heat through. If the pears are ripe they won’t need to be cooked, but if they are hard, simmer for 5 minutes to soften them.
3.    Transfer the soup to a blender or use a hand-held stick blender to blend until smooth then add salt & pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with plenty of cheese and the toasted pumpkin seeds to add a little crunch.

Recipe provided by Carina Contini, Sustainable Restaurant Association member for Hubbub’s #EatYourPumpkin campaign