Parmigiano Reggiano And Pumpkin Soup

This Parmigiano Reggiano and pumpkin soup is a great winter warmer and a perfect starter for any Halloween celebration.

Combine fried onion, pumpkin, vegetable stock and Parmigiano Reggiano rind and cook until tender. Add grated Parmigiano Reggiano to the vegetables, remove the rind and blend the mixture until smooth.

To serve, sprinkle the soup with fresh parsley, top with French bread with melted Parmigiano Reggiano and season.

Parmigiano Reggiano and Pumpkin Soup

Serves 4-6

150g (6oz) Parmigiano Reggiano, with rind

25g (1oz) butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 medium pumpkin (or butternut squash), peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks

900ml (1 ½ pt) hot vegetable stock

150ml (¼ pt) milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

4-6 slices French bread

Fresh parsley or thyme, chopped to garnish 

- Reserve the rind from the Parmigiano Reggiano and cut it into chunks, then finely grate

- Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and gently fry the onion until softened                   

- Add the pumpkin, vegetable stock and Parmigiano Reggiano rind and cook gently for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender

- Remove the rind from the saucepan, transferring the soup to a blender and add the grated cheese, reserving 25g (1oz) for garnishing. Blend the soup, until smooth. Return it to the saucepan and add the milk. Stir thoroughly and reheat until piping hot

- Toast the slices of French bread, sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano on top and grill until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each portion with one piece of French toast

- To serve, sprinkle with fresh parsley or thyme and season with black pepper

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, known as ‘Parmesan’, is one of the world’s oldest and richest cheeses - still produced today as it was nine centuries ago.  Totally natural - it’s the only cheese that has such an extensive maturation which improves the nutrition, aroma and taste.  The use of raw milk and the richness of natural ingredients make this cheese a unique and superior product - It takes 16 litres of milk to produce one kilogram of cheese!  The minimum maturation time for Parmigiano Reggiano is 12 months, but only when it reaches approximately 24 months of age, is it at its best. As well as having fantastic nutritional qualities, it’s easy to digest and is high in calcium.

Parmigiano Reggiano is a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) product. PDOs are defined and protected by European Union law in order to defend the reputation of regional foods. This mark ensures that Parmigiano Reggiano can only be produced in designated areas of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna to the west of the Reno River and Mantua to the east of the Po River.

For more information on Parmigiano Reggiano, please visit www.parmigianoreggiano.com.

CREDIT:

The Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano

Photography: Steve Lee

Recipe and Food Styling: Sue Ashworth

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