Begin by preheating your oven to 190 degrees Celsius
Roughly chop your pumpkin (reserve seeds) and onion. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and add seasoning and fennel seeds. Note: I also like to lay a few of the fennel tops (fronds) on the baking sheet and place the pumpkin on top. This imparts a little more of the fennel-y aniseed-y flavour to the soup. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until the pumpkin browns and softens
Note: If your pumpkin skin is particularly tough and hard to cut into pieces, you can simply cut it in half, drizzle with oil, season and increase the cooking time – double or more, depending on the size of your pumpkin
Take the pumpkin seeds and remove as much of the pulpy stringy pumpkin as you can. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, stir together the pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of olive oil and a generous pinch (or 2) of fennel and ginger finishing salt. Stir to coat. Spread the seeds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until golden brown, 15-20 minutes
Here’s a great tip: If you like things salty, this optional extra step is worth it. Brine your seeds in salted water before roasting, and all of the salt gets infused through the whole seed, not just sprinkled on top. Here’s how… Put the clean, rinsed pumpkin seeds in a medium saucepan. For each cup of seeds, add two cups of water and 2 tablespoons of salt. Add a dribble of olive oil as well. Bring to a boil then simmer for about ten minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Then continue as with step 4 above
In a large soup pan, add a dash of oil along with the garlic, turmeric, fennel and ginger allowing to sweat over a low heat for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally. Next add in the bay leaf and vegetable stock followed by the roasted pumpkin and onion
In batches transfer the soup to a blender or use a hand blender to blitz until completely smooth
Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. You can add a little extra stock if it’s a little thick
Once blitzed and smooth, serve with a sprinkle of chopped fennel tops. Green fennel seeds are amazing used to garnish this soup if you’re lucky enough to have fennel growing. Otherwise any herbs: parsley, coriander, chives etc will be good
Finish with a sprinkle of some of the salty delicious pumpkin seeds. Those that you don’t use will last for a few days in an airtight jar to be snacked on whenever the urge takes you
Serve with a big hunk of generously buttered bread