1kg pumpkin or butternut cut into chunks (Ettrick Gardens, Oamaru Organics)
2 onions, peeled, cut into wedges (Ettrick Gardens, Rosedale)
A head of garlic, whole (Ettrick Gardens, Rosedale)
A thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled, cut along the length
Several sprigs of rosemary
1L chicken or vegie stock
1T Chilli Mexican spice mix
Roast the pumpkin with the skin on, it comes off easily after cooking.
Roast the pumpkin, onion and garlic and in a moderate oven (170°C) for an hour. When soft and sweet remove all the skins. Add to the hot stock with the rosemary and bay and spice mix. Bring to boil and simmer for half an hour. Removing the rosemary and bay leaves, puree with your choice of gadget. Return to the heat and adjust the seasoning to taste. The soup may benefit from a capful of cider vinegar and/or a pinch of sugar as pumpkin can taste notoriously flat otherwise. Cool, container and freeze. To serve, thaw, reheat, and top with an extra sprinkle of spice mix and a generous grating of roasted hazelnut.
Without a doubt the simplest means of preserving food in the modern kitchen is by way of freezing. Most soups, so long as they are adequately packaged, will last as long as 6 months in a deep freeze.