Come in from the cold to a comforting bowl of autumnal squash soup. Adding a hint of chilli gives it a warming kick whilst crème fraîche makes it creamier
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, about 1kg, peeled and deseeded
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 onions, diced
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 2 mild red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 850ml hot vegetable stock
- 4 tbsp crème fraîche, plus more to serve
Method
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Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
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Cut the squash into large cubes, about 4cm/1½in across, then toss in a large roasting tin with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.
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Roast for 30 mins, turning once during cooking, until golden and soft.
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While the butternut squash cooks, melt the butter with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions, garlic clove and three-quarters of the chillies.
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Cover and cook on a very low heat for 15-20 mins until the onions are completely soft.
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Tip the butternut squash into the pan, add the stock and crème fraîche, then whizz with a stick blender until smooth. For a really silky soup, put the soup into a liquidiser and blitz it in batches.
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Return to the pan, gently reheat, then season to taste. Serve the soup in bowls with swirls of crème fraîche and a scattering of the remaining chopped chilli.