winter warmer recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

The great thing about this soup is you don’t have to peel the skin off the butternut, ensuring you can make a quick soup for lunch which is comforting, from scratch in under one hour. No peeling! and you get all the nourishment from the skin also so it’s a win win situation.

Ingredients

2 brown onions, peeled chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 small butternut pumpkin, skin left on and chopped into large chunks.

2 bay leaves

1 sprig rosemary

½ teaspoon fennel seed.

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

1 large tablespoon runny honey

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

To serve

Sour cream

Nutmeg

Method

Line a flat baking tray with baking paper and drizzle with half the olive oil. Add the pumpkin and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake in a moderate oven until tender and a little bit caramelized.

Place a large heavy based pan over a high heat and add the olive oil. Add onion, garlic, bay, rosemary and fennel. Stir until the onions have softened a little. Add the stock and the pumpkin and turn the heat down to a simmer.

Place the lid on and cook gently for 20 minutes.

Blend or whizz the soup to a lovely rich and creamy consistency.

Sometimes I put a slash of naughty cream in at this point but its up to you …

Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to your taste.