This butternut soup with orange flavours will put the sunshine right back into your day. Butternut is a favourite among many, especially a wholesome butternut soup on a rainy day. It’s a nutritious and complex carb, holding natural vitamins that should be included in your diet and a touch of seasonal citrus gives it that burst of flavours!
3 – 4 lb butternut squash, seeded and quartered
1 bulb of garlic
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onions
½ cup white wine or vegetable stock
Juice of an Orange, plus zest for serving
1 tbs chopped sage
1 tbs minced ginger
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 tbs of honey
½ – 1 cup cream
Crème fraiche, to garnish
Minced parsley, to garnish
Walnuts, chopped, to garnish
Heat oven to 220 degrees.
Spray a rimmed sheet pan with non-stick spray.
Cut the top off the garlic bulb, just exposing the cloves.
Lay butternut squash and garlic clove on pan, skin side down, drizzle with olive oil & sprinkle with salt.
Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, turn flesh side down roast 10 minutes, remove garlic, turn a third time flesh side down and roast a final 10 minutes.
When cool enough to handle peel skin off butternut squash and squeeze garlic cloves out of the bulb.
In a large heavy pot heat 2 tbs of olive oil, add carrots, cook until beginning to brown.
Add celery and onions to the pot, sauté until soft and translucent.
Add wine and reduce by half.
Add sage and ginger stir and cook until fragrant.
Add roasted butternut, garlic cloves, honey, water, stock and cream stir until well combined.
Using an immersion blender puree soup until smooth.
If you dont have an immersion blender you can puree in batches using a standard blender.
If its too thick you can add more water until you reach your desired consistency.
Season with salt to taste.
Serve hot garnish with a dollop of crème fraiche, parsley and a drizzle of walnut oil.
