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The fountain of youth and the place I most want to dip my crouton: pumpkin soup is the GOAT of the Stew Culinary Universe.

When served in a hollowed-out gourd, everyone’s favorite starter takes on a whole other dimension. Come on in, the soup’s fine.

Serves 6

Instructions:

1. To make a pumpkin bowl, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Slice the pumpkins in half lengthways through the stem. Use a spoon to remove the seeds. Depending on the size of the cavity, you might need to hollow out a bit of the flesh.
2. Transfer to the baking tray, cut-side up—if the pumpkins don’t sit flat on the tray, slice off a small slice to ensure they sit evenly. Rub a little olive oil inside each cavity, then transfer to the oven to cook for about 15 minutes—they should be tender but not so soft that they collapse. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until translucent but not browned. Add the garlic, cumin and chili powder (if using) and cook for a further minute, then add the pumpkin and stock and bring to the boil. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pumpkin is completely tender.
4. Use a stick blender to puree the soup, then stir in the cream.
5. Transfer the pumpkin halves to plates, ladle some soup into each half, then scatter over the pumpkin seeds, chili flakes and thyme. Serve immediately.