Le Creuset Halloween

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Serves: 8-10

Preparation time:  15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

2kg pumpkin, chopped

1 head of garlic, sliced in half

2 red onions, diced

10g thyme, leaves picked

½ tsp (2.5ml) ground nutmeg

Salt and pepper to season

Olive oil

1.5L vegetable stock

To serve:

Cream, fresh thyme, baguette

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Place all the ingredients, except the stock, in a large Le Creuset baking tray. Drizzle generously with olive oil and mix together, ensuring all the ingredients are coated. Place in the oven and roast for an hour and a half, checking regularly that the vegetables don’t catch. Once cooked, remove from the oven, and place the contents of the tray into a large casserole (remove the skin of the garlic). Pour the stock over and on a medium heat, bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow all the flavours to combine.

Using a stick blender or jug blender, blend the soup until smooth and silky. Season to taste.

Serve with a drizzle of fresh cream, picked thyme and a crusty ciabatta or baguette. Serve in the Le Creuset 20cm Pumpkin Casserole.

Cook’s Note: The soup freezes well and will last stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add chili and ginger to the roasting process and finish off with coconut cream to mix up the flavour.

Chai Tea

Serves: 2-4

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 cinnamon sticks, plus extra for garnish

2 tsp (10ml) black peppercorns

10 cloves

6 cardamom pods

6 cups (1.5L) cold water

2cm ginger, cut into thin rounds

6 Darjeeling black tea bags

2 cups (500ml) full cream milk

½ cup (125ml) light brown sugar

Method

Place all the spices in a pestle and mortar and lightly pound.

Place the water, ginger, tea bags and spices into a Le Creuset casserole and bring to the boil on a medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the milk and sugar and mix until the sugar has dissolved.

Strain through a sieve and serve hot in a Le Creuset 350ml Mug with finely grated cinnamon.

Chestnut Hot Chocolate

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup (80g) pre-cooked roasted chestnuts

1 ½ cups (375ml) full cream milk

1 tsp (5ml) vanilla paste

Zest of 1 orange

1 cinnamon stick

2 tsp (10ml) honey

100g 70% dark chocolate, plus extra for serving

Whipped cream or foamy milk, to serve

Method

Finely chop the chestnuts and place in a medium-sized Le Creuset casserole. Add the milk, vanilla paste, orange zest and cinnamon stick.

On a medium heat, bring the milk to the boil, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and allow the milk to infuse for a few minutes. Add the chocolate and honey to the warm milk and remove the cinnamon stick. Using a hand blender, blend until smooth and velvety.

Serve hot in Le Creuset 350ml Mugs with whipped cream or foamy milk and a generous sprinkle of grated chocolate.