An Autumnal Lunch...

I love the end of October in Paris as parks and gardens like the Tuileries and Jardin Palais Royal are at their golden peak. Markets are brimming with ‘courges’ of all shapes and sizes, tiny displays of forest mushrooms start sprouting up and piles of pretty pears start replacing the last of the seasons figs. This time of year I also start craving warming soups paired with loaves of sourdough bread from Ten Belles Bread on Rue Bréguet in the 11th arrondissement.

This fragrant pumpkin soup whips up quickly although carving out the decorative gourds for serving can be a little more time consuming. (they add so much festive charm to your table) I paired the soup with a seasonal goat cheese from Provence called, ‘Banon de Banon’. It comes wrapped in chestnut leaves and has a distinct tangy taste with a lot of character. It’s a cheese that has been celebrated since the Gallo-Roman period and apparently was consumed in such large quantities by the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius that it ultimately led to his death, we’ll be going light on the cheese for this lunch.

Banon de Banon AOC

We found the perfect complement to our autumn meal in the first cuvée Sauvignon blanc from Lestang 1573. The château de Lestang is nestled in the valleys and vineyards of Sancerre and has been producing wines since 1573. Their golden Sauvignon blanc has notes of lemon, bergamot and peach and was a refreshing balance with all the spices of our soup and the tanginess of the Banon.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 small yellow onions, finely chopped

• 1kg pumpkin or squash (try kabocha or butternut), peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks

• 2 carrots, peeled and diced

• 700ml vegetable stock

• your favorite fall spices ( nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper)

Method

• Step 1

  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan, then gently cook 2 finely chopped onions for 5 mins, until soft and translucent.

• Step 2

  Add 1 kg pumpkin or squash, cut into cubes, along with the diced carrots and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally until golden.

• Step 3

  Pour 700 ml vegetable stock into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10-12 mins until the squash is very soft.

• Step 4

  Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Add a teaspoon of your favorite fall spices, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon or all three, taste for seasoning and additional salt.

  *Serve in festive gourds with a dollop of creme frâiche, toasted pumpkin seeds and your favorite bread and butter.