Butternut Squash Soup with Chilli & Crème Fraîche

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:

1. Heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Cut 1 peeled and deseeded butternut squash into large cubes, about 4cm across, then toss in a large roasting tin with 1 tbsp of olive oil.

2. Roast for 30 minutes, turning once during cooking, until golden and soft.

3. While the butternut squash cooks, melt 1 tbsp butter with the remaining tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan, then add 2 diced onions, 1 thinly slice garlic clove and 3/4 of the 2 deseeded and finely chopped red chillies.

4. Cover and cook on a very low heat for 15-20 minutes until the onions are completely soft.

5. Tip the butternut squash into the pan, add 850ml hot vegetable stock and 4 tbsp 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.

6. Return to pan, gently reheat and season to taste.

7. Serve the soups in a bowl with swirls of crème fraîche and a scattering of the remaining chopped chilli.

Credit: Good Food Magazine