There is nothing like a thick velvety bowl of hot soup in the freezing January weather and butternut squash soup has to be my favourite of all.  Butternut squash is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium and an excellent source of vitamin E, B6,  A & C as well as Folate, Calcium Magnesium and Potassium.  Roasting the butternut squash is easier than peeling but also intensifies the flavour leaving a beautiful sweet syrup on the roasting tray which I put in my soup.  I also add garlic and chilli to cut through the natural sweetness and nuttiness of the squash.  Serve as a warming starter for a weekend brunch, or with fresh bread for a quick weeknight supper.  Enjoy!

Serves Four

Ingredients :

1 butternut squash cut in half and de-seeded.

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 onion diced

1 chilli, de-seeded & finely chopped

250ml chicken/vegetable stock

Knob of butter

Preparation Method :

1) Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas6.  Cut butternut squash in half and deseed.  Place in baking tin so flesh is flaking upright and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

2) Meanwhile saute the onion and garlic in a frying pan until soft.  Remove from heat and set aside for later.

3) Remove butternut squash from oven.  Scoop flesh out of skins with a spoon and set aside in a bowl to cool for 5 minutes.

4) Place half the pan of onion and garlic into a blender with half the stock and half of the butternut squash flesh and then blend until smooth.  Pour into a saucepan and then repeat the process with the ingredients left over.

5) Serve butternut squash soup in a bowl with a slice of bread.  Delicious!