Underneath the Mango Tree

Today Max and I went running in the rain on the seafront. Who would have guessed three years ago that this would be my life, that I would be privileged enough to be able to have the time to do things I've always wanted to do. Don't get me wrong though, living in Geneva did have its positive points and one of those was eating pumpkin soup with Andre and Sugi, his Mongolian nanny and best friend of mine, at lunch time when I would rush home for an hour of sheer happiness and the occasional poetry reading by yours truly (needless to say that this provoked unprecedented squeals of laughter) because I wanted Andre to learn how to appreciate poetry.

Well, unfortunately, despite my efforts, we always ended up singing Underneath the Mango Tree from some James Bond movie with Sugi as chorus and the cat gone all wild hanging by his nails on the walls. With a spring in my step, I would walk back to work in the rain, snow or north wind that blows all winter in Geneva and takes out your soul, as a Greek saying goes...

This recipe is my adaptation of the typical French/Swiss one which only has carrots and is rather too sweet for my taste. I would also sometimes make it for my sister when she was pregnant and she would cross town in rush hour traffic just to savour it with warm bread and a slice of swiss gruyere cheese. With the wind howling outside and rattling the window panes, this soup is the perfect companion, velvety and smooth, sweet and savoury. Perfect with a dollop of cream, gruyere, warm bread on the side...

Musical Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

1 small butternut pumpkin

3 small onions

3 tomatoes

3 small potatoes

3 carrots

1 small handful of parsley

2 cubes of chicken stock

salt, pepper

hot spice (optional)

Cut the pumpkin in cubes, roughly slice the potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and persil. Set aside. In a big pot (a steam cooker if you have one) lightly fry the onions in 5 tbsps of olive oil. Add the pumpkin and carrots, continue frying for a few minutes until the pumpkin dissolves somewhat. Add the potatoes, tomatoes and parsley. Heat a kettle with water and pour over the vegetables until covered and add the chicken stock. Season accordingly. Cook over medium-high heat for at least an hour (less if using a pressure cooker) and with a small hand-held mixer, puree it. Let it simmer for a few more minutes.

Underneath the Mango Tree lyrics (John Barry and Monty Norman)

Underneath the mango tree

Me honey and me can watch for the moon

Underneath the mango tree

Me honey and me make boolooloop soon

Underneath the moonlit sky

Me honey and I can sit hand in hand

Underneath the moonlit sky

Me honey and I can make fairyland

Mango, banana and tangerine

Sugar and ackee and cocoa bean

When we get marry we make them grow

And nine little chil' in a row

Underneath the mango tree

Me honey and me can watch for the moon

Underneath the mango tree

Me honey and me we plan marry soon

Mango, banana and tangerine

Sugar and ackee and cocoa bean

When we get marry we make them grow

And nine little chil' in a row

Underneath the mango tree

Me honey and me can watch for the moon

Underneath the mango tree

Me honey and me we plan marry soon

Underneath the mango tree

Underneath the mango tree

Underneath the mango tree

Underneath the mango tree