Curried Pumpkin Soup with Crispy Bacon & Croutons

Steps

1. Prep soup Preheat oven to 200°C. Finely dice onion, grate carrots and apple. Heat a drizzle of oil in a pot on medium heat. Cook onions for about 4 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Add garlic, ginger, curry paste and 1 tsp salt and fry a further 1 minute.
2. Cook soup Add pumpkin, carrots, apple, stock and water measure and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low, add coconut milk and simmer for 18–20 minutes, until vegetables are very soft. Stir through fish sauce.
3. Cook bacon Thinly slice bacon and dice ciabatta 3cm. Scatter bacon on a lined tray and bake until very crispy, about 20 minutes.
4. Cook croutons Toss ciabatta with sesame seeds and a drizzle of oil on a lined tray and bake (on rack below bacon) for about 8 minutes, until light brown and crispy.
5. To finish Purée soup using a food processor or stick blender, or mash using a potato masher until smooth. Season to taste with salt or fish sauce and pepper.
6. Serve pumpkin soup topped with with bacon and croutons.