Preheat oven to 190°C fan-bake
Cut the pumpkin in half whichever way feels easiest for you. Some people swear by microwaving the whole pumpkin for a minute before cutting it. Just keep your fingers well clear of that knife when you are applying downward pressure!
On the rounded base of each pumpkin half, cut a little slice off so it has a flat little bum to sit on in the oven. Scrape the seeds out with a spoon and discard.
Place the pumpkin halves flesh side up in a roasting tray. Divide the butter and garlic between the two.pumpkin cavities. Season well with salt and pepper, and cover the tops with foil.
Drizzle each onion half in olive oil and wrap in foil. Add to the tray.
Roast in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until the pumpkin is tender. When cool enough to handle, tip the melted butter into a large saucepan and use a large spoon to scrape the pumpkin flesh out of the skins - discard the empty skins. Add the pumpkin flesh and onion halves to the saucepan.
Pour the stock into the saucepan, place over a medium heat, cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
Add the cream and peppers. Transfer the saucepan carefully to a board on the bench, and use a hand-held stick blender to purée the soup until it's very smooth and velvety. If you don't have a stick blender, you can let the soup cool to warm, then use a food processor or blender - but don't do this while the soup is hot.
Pour the soup back into the saucepan and taste it. Season with more salt until you are happy with the taste. A squeeze of lemon can be nice, too.
Serve in bowls with extra cream and pesto (see page 160) or chopped fresh parsley and buttered toast.
Leftover soup will keep in the fridge until the cream's use-by date or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
