The wonderful thing about winter soups is that they are so easy to make, and you can be so free with the ingredients!
Our pumpkins are all ripe here, and a warm soup is welcome for a quick lunch,  or supper in front of the fire.
I prefer to cook my vegetables in the oven, because I love the extra flavour that comes when the vegetables caramelise a little rather than cooking more gently in a pan.
Of course if you have a small to medium pumpkin to spare, then the hollowed pumpkin makes a beautiful way to serve the soup, but otherwise it is just as delicious poured directly into bowls or mugs.  

To make enough soup for a family meal I cut into medium sized pieces:

1 large onion (preferably red)2 cloves garlic2 sticks celerya quarter of a large pumpkin2 leeksa large handful of cherry tomatoes You can add a potato to the vegetables if you like, but it isn't obligatory.
I lay these on  a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake in a hot oven for about 20 minutes.  You want the vegetables cooked through completely, and just beginning to caramelise but not burnt.
Once everything is thoroughly cooked through, the vegetables need to be blended.   You can either shoot the vegetables into a deep pan and use a hand-help blender, or push the vegetables through a vegetable grinder, or even pulse in a kitchen blender.  When they are completely smooth, turn the heat on under the pan and start added some chicken or vege...