Roasted butternut squash soup
As the days settle into autumn why not make butternut squash soup. It’s a great meal to cook around Halloween and Bonfire Night and a good way to warm up fast when the days get colder .
This is one of many soups you can make using chicken stock made from the left over carcass from your Sutton Hoo roast, and a fantastic way to get the best value out of your chicken. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Ingredients
3 butternut squashes 3.5 lb total in weight
2 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper
25g butter
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 x 2.5cm ( 1 inch ) piece of root ginger, grated
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large celery sticks
1.3 litres of Sutton Hoo Chicken stock
Sprig of rosemary or a teaspoon dried rosemary
Serve with roasted pumpkin seeds and chunky brown bread
Method
Preheat the oven to 200° C/ 400° F/ Gas 6
Cut the butternut squashes in half length ways. Scoop out the seeds with a metal spoon and discard. Arrange the squash halves cut side up in a roasting tin just big enough to hold them in a single layer, and drizzle over olive oil. Season the squash halves with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour 150ml (1/4 pint) water around the squash halves. Cook in the preheated oven for about 1 1/4 hours, basting occasionally, until very tender. Allow to cool.
Melt the butter in a large pan and add the onion, carrot, celery and ginger. Cook for 5-10 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the stock, rosemary and seasoning, bring to the boil then partially cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
When cool enough to handle scoop the flesh from the squash halves and add to the pan. Blend the vegetables in a liquidiser or food processor until smooth. (If you use a food processor, it is easier to process the vegetables with a little of the liquid, adding the remaining liquid to the processed vegetables to make the soup.
Taste for seasoning and serve with roasted pumpkin seeds and chunky brown bread.
Top tip - This dish is good to prepare and cook ahead for a party or easy mid-week lunches. Perfect for Halloween and Bonfire night. Allow to cool and transfer to a container, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat to serve.
To freeze cool the soup and pack and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat thoroughly.