Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

 * ½ lb pumpkin
 * 1 pint water or stock
 * 2 oz shrimp, if liked
 * 1 pint milk
 * 2 oz flour
 * 2 oz margarine
 * eschallot
 * celery
 * thyme
 * salt
 * white pepper
 * salt and pepper to taste

Directions

 * 1) Cut pumpkin into pieces. Clean shrimp.
 * 2) Put eschallot, celery and thyme tied together, into water or stock and bring to the boil.
 * 3) Add pumpkin, salt and pepper to taste.
 * 4) Reduce heat and leave to simmer.
 * 5) Make white sauce using margarine, flour and milk.
 * 6) Add salt and pepper.
 * 7) Remove stock from heat.
 * 8) Remove eschallot etc., and pass all other ingredients through a sieve.
 * 9) Add stock to white sauce.
 * 10) Correct the flavor and consistency, adding more milk if too thick.
 * 11) Serve hot with croutons.