As festive as it can get. A soup that smells and tastes like Christmas and a glorious orange to boot. What more can you want. For vegetarians this is an excellent soup with the obvious omission of the bacon. A few cubes of a good melting cheese, such as fontina would work wonders too.

1 Tbsp Coriander seeds, organic
2 Tsp Cumin seeds, organic
½ Tsp Crushed Bird's Eye Chilli, organic
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
50g butter
2 plump cloves of garlic, chopped
900g pumpkin, peeled and roughly cubed
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
4 rashers smoked bacon
100ml single cream or a little less

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan and cook the onion and the garlic, peeled and sliced, until soft and translucent. Add the pumpkin and cook until the pumpkin is golden brown at the edges.

Toast the coriander seeds and cumin in a small pan over a low heat until they start to smell warm and nutty - about two minutes. Grind the roasted spices in a coffee mill or using a pestle and mortar, keeping the pan to one side for later. Add the spices and the chillies to the onions and pumpkin. Cook for a minute or so then add the stock. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes or so until the pumpkin is tender.
Fry the bacon in the pan in which you toasted the spices. It should be crisp. Cool a little then cut up with scissors into small pieces. Whizz the soup in a blender or food processor till smooth. Pour in the cream and taste the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary. Return to the pan, bring almost to the boil and then serve, piping hot, with the bacon bits scattered on top.

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