Do take the trouble to roast the butternut! The dry oven heat really intensifies the earthy taste and sweetness. And you can use any yellow squash or pumpkin instead of the butternut. All depends what’s in season and what you prefer.
Roast Butternut & Brandy Soup
Course: Main, StarterDifficulty: EasyServings
6
servingsIngredients
750 ml Butternut chunks (about 3 cm square)
Splash olive oil
500 ml Potato chunks
About 1.2 to 1.5 litres prepared vegetable or chicken stock
About 65 ml brandy (see hint)
Sour cream or plain yoghurt to taste
Salt and freshly-milled black pepper
To serve: grated Pecorino or white cheddar cheese, croutons and rocket
Directions
- Place the butternut chunks on a baking sheet and splash with a little olive oil. Season to taste and bake until tender in the oven at 200° C, about 35 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the potato chunks in just a little of the stock until tender.
- Remove the butternut from the oven and the potato from the heat and allow to cool a little. Now process or blend everything in batches until smooth.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and whisk in any quantity of stock to thin it down to your taste or to have it as thick as you fancy. And if you want it smooth like silk, push the soup now through a sieve. Reheat the soup gently and when piping hot, remove from the heat and add the brandy and enough cream or yoghurt to your liking. (If you do it while simmering the yoghurt may split, so rather do it off heat.)
- Finally, season to taste and serve each bowl topped with a little mound of cheese, a few croutons and rocket.
Serves 6 or more depending if it’s a starter or main
Chef’s Hint
- If you do not use alcohol, simply omit the brand and call it Roast Butternut Soup!
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