Pumpkin Miso Soup with Hemp Pesto image

Pumpkin Miso Soup with Hemp Pesto

Ingredients

1/2 Japanese pumpkin skin off
2 onions finely sliced
3 garlic cloves crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
1L vegetable stock (liquid)
1/4 cup white miso paste
1 drizzle hemp oil
1 can chickpeas patted dry with paper towel
200g brussels sprouts halved
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pinch salt and pepper
Hemp Pesto  
2 cups kale, torn leaves only
1/2 bunch basil
1/4 cup almonds
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup hemp oil
3 tbsp hemp seeds
1 pinch salt to taste

METHOD

Step 1: For the soup, pour oil into large saucepan. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and add to the pan with onion and garlic. Season with a little salt and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes, covered with a lid, stirring frequently to sweat and soften the vegetables.

Step 2: Once the vegetables have softened, add the stock and miso and continue to cook until the pumpkin is very soft, for approximately 10 minutes.

Step 3: Puree the soup in an upright blender or with a hand held blender. Return to the pot, season, set aside ready to serve.

Step 4: Pre head the oven to 190C. Separately toss the Brussels sprouts and chickpeas in the oil and seasoning and bake on separate trays lined with baking paper for 15 minutes or until golden and crispy. The chickpeas may need longer.

Step 5: To make hemp pesto, combine hemp pesto ingredients to blender and blitz to a paste.

Step 6: Reheat the soup. Adjust consistency with a little water if needed. Adjust seasoning and top with hemp pesto, roasted Brussels sprouts, chickpeas and pomegranate. Drizzle with a little hemp oil. 

Recipe supplied by chef, Tom Walton. www.tomwalton.com.au