Healthy Pumpkin Soup with Fresh-Baked Damper
Prep time (for 10 serves): 25 minutes. Cook time: 45 minutes.
Per child, this recipe provides: 1+ serves of veggies and 1 serve of meat alternative.
Ingredients:
- 1.20kg Pumpkin, jap or butternut
- 1 Brown onion
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 tsp Garlic, minced
- 1 Celery stalk
- 4 Carrots
- 1 tbsp Cumin, ground
- 1⁄3 tsp Ginger, minced
- 850g Butter beans, canned
- 5 cups Vegetable stock, salt reduced
Damper ingredients:
- 1 cup Self raising flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- 25g Butter, chilled and cubed
- ¾ cup Milk, full cream
Method:
- Peel and dice onions and pumpkin. Wash and dice carrots and celery.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add oil and onion, then fry until translucent.
- Add garlic, celery and pumpkin, then cook for 4–5 minutes until pumpkin is slightly browned.
- Add carrots, ginger and cumin, then cook for a few minutes before adding vegetable stock and drained butter beans.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a low heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Blend until smooth with a blender, food processor or stick blender. If too thick, add additional vegetable stock.
- Return the soup to the saucepan. Keep warm until serving.
Damper method:
- Preheat the oven to 190°C fan forced.
- Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and rub into the flour with the tips of your fingers, until it resembles fine crumbs.
- Stir in milk with a round blade knife (butter knife) to make a soft, but not sticky dough.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into soft, smooth balls.
- Place dough balls on baking trays and flatten gently to make a flat circle about 17cm across. Cut a deep cross in the dough and brush lightly with milk.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 190°C until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Slice into small pieces.
To serve: Serve pumpkin soup in large bowls, ready for individual serving within each room.
Allergen alternatives:
For gluten free, use gluten free self raising flour.
For dairy free, use rice milk and replace butter with Nuttelex ‘Buttery’.
