Begin by cutting the pumpkin in half through the stalk,then cut each half into 4 again and scoop out the seeds using a large spoon.

Toss in a half cup of heavy cream and a third of a cup of freshly grated Parmesan andreturn to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste, then take from heat.After 2-3 minutes they will change colour and start to jump in the pan. Remove them from the pan and crush them finely with a pestle and mortar. Next, heat the butter and oil in a saucepan until the butter begins to foam, then add the onions and gently soften for about 5 minutes before adding the garlic. You can watch how to prepare garlic and how to chop onions in our Cookery School Videos on the right. Let that cook, along with the onions, for another 2 minutes, then add all the crushed spices, along with the turmeric and ginger, stir and let it all continue to cook gently for a few more minutes while you peel and chop the parsnips into 1 inch (2.5 cm) dice. If you prefer a blended or creamy soup, you can either leave the soup chunky or transfer it to a blender in batches and blend until smooth (being careful not to over-fill the blender with hot liquid), then return the blended soup to the pot and reheat it over medium heat. After that, remove the bay leaves, then place the contents of the saucepan in a food processor or liquidiser and process until the soup is smooth and creamy. Next return it to the saucepan, stir in the crème fraîche and cheese and keep stirring until the cheese has melted and the soup is hot but not boiling.

To make the parsnip crisps, peel the parsnip and then slice it into rounds as thinly as you possibly can, using a sharp knife. Now heat the oil in a 10 inch (25.5 cm) frying pan until it is very hot, almost smoking, then fry the parsnip slices in batches until they are golden brown, for about 2-3 minutes (they will not stay flat or colour evenly but will twist into lovely shapes). As they're cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon and spread them out on kitchen paper to drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt. (If you like, you can make these in advance, as they will stay crisp for a couple of hours.) Begin by heating a small frying pan and dry roasting the coriander, cumin and cardamom seeds – this is to toast them and draw out their flavour. Saute until tender and golden, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring periodically. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, or until fragrant.Because there's a large volume of soup, it's best to do this in two halves. What you need to do is whiz it until it's smoothly blended, but as an extra precaution it's best to pass it through a sieve as well in case there are any unblended fibrous bits. Taste and season well, then when you're ready to serve the soup, re-heat it gently just up to simmering point, being careful not to let it boil. Finally, stir in the diced cheese, then ladle the soup into warm soup bowls. Gently heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, then put in the onion and potato and let them soften slowly without browning. This takes 10 - 15 minutes. First of all separate the stalks of celery from the base and trim, reserving the leaves for a garnish – the trimmed stalks should weigh 1 lb (450 g).