Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the pumpkin in half* then scoop out the seeds (keep these for roasting if you like) then quarter each half. Arrange the pumpkin, skin side down, on a rimmed baking pan and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the spices and ½ teaspoon of salt over the pumpkin then turn each piece skin side up. Scatter the unpeeled garlic cloves on the pan. Roast the pumpkin and garlic for 30 minutes – until you can easily pierce the pumpkin with a fork and it is slightly caramelized at the edges.

While the pumpkin roasts, prepare the vegetables. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over a medium heat in a heavy bottomed soup pan. Add the vegetables and ½ a teaspoon of salt and cook for 15 minutes until the onions begin to caramelize. Stir often.

When the pumpkin and garlic have cooled to the touch, gently remove the skins then stir to the soup. Remove from the heat.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it reached a smooth consistency. You may also puree in a standard blender, make sure the soup is cool and work in batches appropriate for the volume of your blender jar.

Serve warm with the toppings of your choice.