November recipe: Butternut squash soup

Butternut squash soup

Butternut squashes are usually available in the late autumn and early winter.  I’ve previously posted a recipe for stir-fried chicken wings with butternut squash.

Butternut squash also makes a satisfying autumn soup.  With its warm colour, this soup helps to brighten up a cold grey day.  It can also be made with pumpkin if you don’t like or can’t get butternut squash.  This quantity serves 2 as a main meal with bread, or 4 as a first course.

Butternut squash soup

Approximately 1 lb (approx. 450 g) butternut squash

Half an onion

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon (1 x 5 ml spoon) ground cumin

1 teaspoon (1 x 5 ml spoon) ground coriander

0.5 pint (approx. 300 ml) water

6 fl. oz (approx. 170 ml) milk

2 fl. oz (approx. 60 ml) single cream

1 teaspoon (1 x 5 ml spoon) sage or parsley

Peel the butternut squash and remove the seeds.  Cut into pieces approximately 1 inch cubed (approx. 2.5 cm cubed).

Peel and chop the onion.  Peel and crush the garlic.

Fry the butternut squash and onion in olive oil over a medium heat for a few minutes until starting to colour and soften.

Stir in the crushed garlic, cumin and coriander.

Add the water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer over a low heat for about 20 minutes until the squash is soft.

Remove from the heat and liquidise the soup to a smooth consistency.  It will be quite thick at this stage; if it is too thick to liquidise easily, add some of the milk.

Stir the milk, cream and herbs into the liquidised soup.  Reheat the soup gently over a low heat until just starting to bubble.

Serve hot with bread.