Foodie Friday - Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Can you get any more autumnal than this? Butternut squash has a rep for being fiddly but ignore it. Roasting with the skin on removes the most annoying step.

It's the perfect season for this delicious warming butternut squash soup, so why not stick Practical Magic on and whip up some magic in the kitchen.

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 Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Time: 1 hour (45 mins hands off though)

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 butternut squash chopped in half and deseeded

1 onion peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves peeled and sliced

5g butter

2 tbsp olive oil

850ml veg stock

1/2 block of creamed coconut (just 100% coconut, unlike most tinned coconut milk!)

Curry powder

Salt and pepper

Pumpkin seeds and feta to serve

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Drizzle the squash halves with half of the 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with a little salt and black pepper, and place cut-side down on a baking tray. Roast until completely soft when pierced with a knife.

2. While the squash roasts, melt the 5 grams butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the 1 onion and 2 garlic cloves, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.

3. Once the squash is ready, let it cool till you can handle it, scoop the flesh away from the skin (it should come away easily) and add it to the pot with the onion and garlic. Discard the skins.

4. Pour in the 850 mls vegetable stock, add the creamed coconut and 2 teaspoons curry powder (add more if it's your preference), and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to let the flavours come together. Season to taste at this stage.

5. Using a stick blender (or in batches in a blender), blitz the soup until completely smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the remaining 0.5 teaspoons salt and 0.3 teaspoons black pepper as needed.

6. Ladle into bowls and top with 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds and 25 grams feta, crumbled, for a bit of crunch and saltiness.