Winter Soup

Now that the temperature is dropping and the days are shorter- it is hard to deny winter is here. I like to focus on the positives... like woolly slippers, hot water bottles and soup! It's great to divide up into portions to last you for lunch for the week. I like to think of it as what salads are to summer, soups are to winter. The following has been adapted from one of my favourite magazines- Dish. I quite like this recipe for its use of the smoky paprika. It adds a wonderful depth compared to traditional pumpkin soup recipes.

Pumpkin and Smoked Paprika Soup

Makes around 6 bowls

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
1 brown onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped
3 cups chicken stock
Freshly ground salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the paprika, onion, carrot, garlic, thyme and a good pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft and lightly coloured. Add the pumpkin and stock, simmer until all vegetables are tender. Cool slightly and process until smooth.