Butternut squash soup

As I write this, the weather is freezing cold and the last few mornings have graced us with glittering frosts. It’s most definitely time for warming, comforting soups. I love winter vegetables and root veggies often find their way into our food and are ideally suited to soup.

However, pumpkins and squash are also great in soup. We have several given to us by friends with an allotment in Baldock and, now that we have our own mini plot locally, I’m keen to discover creative things to do with these sturdy, long-living vegetables. Rather conveniently, unlike a lot of fresh produce, pumpkins and squash can be left for weeks (even months – two in the case of our Baldock squash) before you cook with them.

Soup (serves 3 to 4)
1 butternut squash (pricked all over and roasted whole in its skin)
1 onion, finely chopped
garlic to taste, chopped
spice of your choice (I used mixed Moroccan spices, Ras al Hanout)
750ml stock
double cream
salt and freshly ground pepper

Chorizo croutons
Stale bread, diced
Chorizo, diced
Vegetable oil

The squash can be roasted in advance, but you then need to remove the skin and seeds. In a large saucepan, fry the onion until soft and translucent and stir in the squash flesh and spices. Combine well, pour in the stock and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. If the soup looks a bit thick, add more water or stock and then purée with a hand (stick) blender. Pour in a good slug of cream and check the seasoning. Keep warm until ready to serve.

I like serving chorizo with squash to help balance the sweetness. These croutons were made by finely dicing equal amounts of stale bread and chorizo – allowing for about a handful for each serving. The dice all want to be about the same size. In a large pan briefly fry the chorizo to release the peppery oil, then add the bread and cook over a high heat to crispen. You might need to add a little more oil if the pan is looking dry. Serve warm with the soup.

A meat free alternative is to fry chopped walnuts with the bread adding some shredded sage leaves at the end. Squash and sage is another happy partnership.

If you’re dealing with a glut, the soup can be frozen.