Spiced Pumpkin Soup with the Simplissimo Chef from Scott

A little while ago, my trusty blender broke and I found myself a little bereft. I tried to get it fixed, sent it off to the manufacturer but was told there was nothing that could be done.  To be fair, it had taken a hammering over the years with almost daily smoothie making, so I'd been looking around for a new model to replace it with.  It was perfect timing then, when Scott got in touch to see if I'd like to try out the new Simplissimo Chef cook blender, due to hit the market in early November.

The Simplissimo Chef it turns out, is so much more than just a blender.  Like all good quality models, it can knock up a smoothie with ease and has no trouble crushing up ice cubes so it's perfect for making drinks.  At this time of year, I make a lot of soups.  And I mean a lot.  The Other Half takes a homemade soup to work most days, it's our lunch of choice at the weekends and we never venture out on an outdoor adventure without a flask of hot, nourishing soup.

And when it comes to soup, this is where the Simplissimo excels.  It's not merely a blender, but it cooks the soup too, meaning one seamless operation from start to finish - less hassle and considerably less washing-up!  It has two pre-programmed soup functions, for either smooth or chunky soup and you simply put in all your ingredients, your water or stock, any seasonings, hit the button and away it goes.  30 minutes later and you have piping hot, perfect soup every time. You can add ingredients during the cooking process so it's perfect if you want to stir in things with a shorter cooking time.

This is such a timesaver as it means I can simply load it up and get on with other things, walk the dog, do the laundry...whatever!  No more watching a pot on the stove, no stirring and no checking to see if it's done.  It also has a very handy 30 minute keep-warm function once finished which is ideal in a household like mine when you never know what time people are getting home.

What else was I going to make on this beautiful Halloween day than spiced pumpkin soup?  The recipe is below, and it's quite forgiving so use whatever you have - add in some sweet potato, butternut squash, courgette... That's the great thing about soups, they're perfect for using up odds and ends in the fridge.

Ingredients:

600g pumpkin, peeled and cubed

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 leek, chopped

1 stick of celery, chopped

1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled

1/2 inch root turmeric

1/2 red chilli, seeds removed

3/4 pint water or stock

Topping:

Handful of pumpkin seeds

Sprinkle of sea salt (roasted in a low oven for 10 minutes)

There's no 'method' as such to write.  Simply add in all the ingredients, select 'smooth' and press start.  It really is that simple!

The cook function on the Simplissimo really sets if apart from other gadgets and makes it so much more than just a blender.  It comes with a steamer basket so you can cook healthy, nutrient-filled vegetables, and it will even cook sous vide so you can cook vacuum packs of fish and retain all the goodness.  I think this is really going to come into it's own when we're having our kitchen re-done as this little gadget can do it all.

The unit itself is very sturdy, with a good quality glass jug.  The controls and touch screen buttons are very responsive and easy to use.  It's stylish enough to have on your counter-top, and small enough to put away in a cupboard if you wish.

Oh, and the other thing? It has a self-clean mode.  Bravo!  Simply add water and washing up liquid, set it going for the 5 minute cleaning programme and it's done.  Seriously, this machine is genius.

I can't wait to try out more recipes - cocktails, dips, sauces and steamed food.

The Simplissimo Chef will be available from early November online here or from Amazon and Ebay with a RRP of £159.

Disclosure: We were sent the cook blender in exchange for our review.