Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup This soup is all about deep, caramelized flavors. Roasting the vegetables first brings out their natural sweetness, which is then blended into a velvety, comforting soup with a hint of spice from curry and a rich finish from cream cheese. Yields: 4 servings Prep time:15 minutes Cook time:40 minutes Ingredients: · For the Roasted Vegetables: · 1 small pumpkin (about 1.5 lbs / 600-700g), peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks · 1 large carrot, roughly chopped · 1 large onion, cut into wedges · 3-4 cloves garlic, unpeeled · 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil · 1 teaspoon curry powder · 1 teaspoon garlic powder or black pepper · Salt, to taste · For the Soup: · 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable broth or water · ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version) · 2 tablespoons cream cheese · Salt, to taste · For Serving (optional): · Garlic-cheese croutons (homemade or store-bought) · Toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds · Fresh herbs like parsley or chives Instructions: 1. Roast the Vegetables: · Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). · On a large baking sheet, toss the pumpkin chunks with oil, curry powder, garlic powder (or black pepper), and salt. Spread them out in a single layer. · On a separate, smaller baking sheet, toss the carrot, onion wedges, and unpeeled garlic cloves with a little oil and salt. · Place both sheets in the oven. Roast for 25-35 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender and have lightly caramelized edges. The garlic should feel soft when squeezed. 2. Prepare the Garlic: · Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft roasted cloves out of their skins into a deep pot or a blender. 3. Blend the Soup: · Add all the other roasted vegetables (pumpkin, carrot, and onion) to the pot with the garlic. Add the vegetable broth or water. · Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until completely smooth. Alternatively, you can carefully blend the soup in a countertop blender in batches. 4. Finish the Soup: · If you used a blender, return the pureed soup to the pot. Place it over low heat. · Stir in the heavy cream. Add the cream cheese and whisk until it has fully melted and incorporated into the soup. · Let the soup heat through gently (do not boil). If it is too thick for your liking, add a little more broth or cream until it reaches your desired consistency. · Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. 5. Serve: · Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top with garlic-cheese croutons, a sprinkle of toasted seeds, and some fresh herbs. Enjoy your meal!