Baked Pumpkin Soup with Horseradish

I found this quite an easy way to scoop out the pumpkin flesh, 

without having to peel and chop up the pumpkin before cooking.

Ingredients for Stage 1:

Oven: 180/190 deg. C

1 pumpkin

salt, pepper, maple syrup  - of course :), 

cloves of garlic to own taste, knob of butter and a  little olive/sunflower oil.

1. Cut off the top part of the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and place the above ingredients inside. 

2. Replace the lid, pour a small amount of water in the bottom of the dish, and bake until the skin is going brown, and the flesh is soft.

3. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

Stage 2:

4. Carefully pour the liquid into a separate bowl.

5. Use 2 spoons, one for holding down, and the other for scooping out the cooked flesh - put this into the bowl too - discarding the skin.

Pour into your liquidiser.
Add a stock cube and enough water to well cover, (or home made stock), and liquidise until you get a nice creamy consistency. Add either more stock as necessary, and a little milk/cream if wanted.  Adjust seasoning.

Serving suggestion:

in each bowl - add either, a knob of butter, cream (sweet or sour), 

or a teaspoon of creamed horseradish - the horseradish just slightly takes away some of the sweetness - if you've gone a bit mad with the maple syrup!