Who'da thunk?

I had a bumper crop of perfect pumpkins (if I do say so myself) last Autumn, and I still haven't used them all up. I adore a piece of roasted pumpkin to nibble on, and my sweet pumpkin soup is a regular lunch or dinner favourite in the burrow, but I wanted to try something a bit different. So I went digging around, and found this recipe for pumpkin scones on the River Cottage Australia site.

Bless my cotton-tailed behind, but they're very good! They're a bit sticky to shape compared to a classic scone, and they take rather longer to prepare (and they're also a quite startling shade of yellow) but they are light, fluffy and absolutely delicious. Since they contain an egg, I suppose they're almost a cross between a scone and a muffin, but they are wonderful with a bit of homemade jam and cream.

Do try them, they're worth the effort! And while you're at it, give my sweet pumpkin soup a go too. This family recipe has no chicken stock in it, so it's a great one for vegetarians.

Big Bunny's family sweet pumpkin soup

You'll need... (no measurements for this one, you'll just have to trust your instincts!)

Some pumpkin
Some onion (one large onion for an average butternut or buttercup pumpkin, or 2-3 for a big crown pumpkin)
Cooking oil (rapeseed/canola is good)
Milk
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg
Sugar (if your pumpkin isn't very sweet)

1. Peel and cube your pumpkin. (Be careful! Trust me, when you're a bunny and you don't have opposable thumbs you realise how great they are.) Peel and chop the onion coarsely. Feed the peels to your hungry compost heap.
2. Put the chopped onion in a large soup pot with a wee bit of oil. Fry on a gentle heat until clarified but not brown. You just want to sweeten it up a bit.
3. Add the cubed pumpkin to the pot and fill to about 2/3 the height of the veg with water.
4. Cook, lid on, until the whole lot is nice and soft. Drain thoroughly. (I keep the pumpkiny, oniony water to add to other soups, stocks, stews etc.)
5. Blend it all until it's smooth in a blender or food processor (or use a stick-blender to pulp it in the saucepan - saves dishes!)
6. Add milk, stirring, until the mixture is the thickness you desire for soup and heat gently. Do not allow it to boil.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper and lots of freshly-grated nutmeg. If your pumpkin is not very sweet, add a little sugar until the flavour comes to life - you'll be able to taste the difference when you've got the salt and sugar balance right.

Enjoy with buttery toast.