Butconut soup!

Brrr!

Why is it so so so so cold? My house essentially becomes a big brick freezer in the winter. I sit here wearing multiple layers, leggings under jeans, hoodie, a dressing gown over my clothes like a sexy house coat and still I can see my breath. The dog has become a shimmering ice sculpture in the corner and the cats are stomping around in their snow boots (maybe I’m exaggerating just a bit but it is cold) the forecast says we are not out of the woods yet either! I have a recipe for a lovely warming soup to keep the cockles warm. I make this a lot, it’s really quick. Just remember don’t add too much water, no one likes watery soup!

Butconut spicy soup (think it'll catch on? or do you not want a soup that brings to mind both butts and nuts?)

Ok,

1 onion

1 big butternut squash

1sweet potato

Half a hot red chilli (something like a birdseye)

1cm ginger

Ground cumin 1tsp

Curry power ½ tsp

Salt

Pepper

Chicken or veg stock about 2 pints

Crispy bacon lardons & chives on top if you want to be poncey.

So chop the onion (just hack it up everything is blended) and sweat it out in a medium pan with olive oil for around 5 minutes

Chop all the other veg and add to the pan, you may need to loosen it up with a splosh more oil. Add all the spices and season and cook it all up until the veg softens just at the edges and the spices smell aromatic.

Finely chop the ginger and chilli and add to the pan to continue frying for another few minutes.

Put the heat up and when it starts to sizzle alot pour in your coconut milk and stock and bring to the boil.

Simmer it all for about 20 minutes until you can break the squash up a bit with a fork.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, break out the hand blender and wiz it all up until it is smooth and creamy

Top with fried lardons and chives, or don’t bother if it is a weekday!

xHx