31.01.2010 - 2. When the water comes to the boil add the garlic cloves, the halved shallots, the parsnip in chunks and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the potato and the pumpkin cut into chunks.
4. In a separate saucepan put the prawns into boiling water for two minutes.  Remove from the saucepan and peel, returning the heads and skins to the cooking water and boil for five minutes.  Put into a blender and pass through a sieve before adding the liquid to the soup.
5. Blend the soup adding the oil a little at a time.  Serve decorated with the cooked prawns and the fresh basil leaves.

Ingredients

• ½ pumpkin
• 2 shallots
• 1 potato cut into three
• 1 parsnip
• 3 garlic cloves
• 200g prawns
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Fresh basil leaves

Nutritional values

Vitamin A: 11mg/100g
RDA: 400-1,000mg/day
Vitamin C: 11.37mg/100g
RDA: 55-60mg/day
Potassium: 344.15mg/100g
RDA: 1,000-1,600mg/daymg

* Information and images from La Cocina Encuentada – Las cuatro estaciones (in Spanish) by Teresa Pérez Hernández.  ISBN 978-84-96509-84-9 (around 12 euros).

Our recipes are translated with the generous permission of the author, Teresa Pérez Hernández, from the superb series of books, La Cocina Encuentada.
In the Spanish version, this series of books combines healthy, fun recipes with original short stories to feed the body and the mind.  They are highly recommended for anyone who can understand the Spanish language.
Full of goodness, this creamy soup can be given a new and sweeter flavour by substituting the pumpkin for one of the varieties of sweet potatoes available in Spain (boniato or batata).  In olden days, basil was given by herbalist doctors to their patients to cure mild depressions called ‘low spirits’ or ‘autumn sadness’.

Gallery: Creamy Soup

3 pictures found: Go to gallery