Pumpkin Soup from Hainaut

1 kg – 2,2 lb pumpkin
500 g – 1,1 lb potatoes
1 l – 4 cups water
1/2 l – 2 cups milk
Bouquet garni (sprig thyme, bay leaf, 2 cloves garlic, parsley stalk)
50 g – 1,75 oz vermicelli
30 g – 1 oz butter
salt
Fresh-ground pepper

Peel and cut into small cubes the pumpkin and potatoes. Place them in a large saucepan and cover with the water. The water should just cover the pumpkin and potatoes, so add or subtract from the liter suggested.

Add the bouquet garni and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour. Add the milk and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Liquidize.

Add the cooked vermicelli and simmer for a further 2 minutes to heat the vermicelli through.

Just before serving, stir in 30 g of butter cut into small pieces, and check seasoning; add a few twists of freshly ground pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: A Taste of the Belgian Provinces, Enid Gordon and Midge Shirley (published by The Tuesday Group, rue Frans Merjay, 1060 Brussels).