Butternut squash soup

[bohemian]

I saw this on tv recently and had a go at making it. It ticks all the boxes for me - very tasty, few ingredients, very easy to make (10 minutes!).

Ingredients:

butternut squash, peeled and thinly sliced

vegetable stock

single cream

1 onion, chopped

1 or 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

juice of a lime

salt

For 2 or 3 people. Increase quantities for more. I used half a butternut squash for this.

Peel and thinly slice the squash, put in a hot pan with a pint (500ml) of hot vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and cook the squash. Add the cream (I used a small amount, not measuring it, I just poured some in.) Continue to boil for about 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic. Keep boiling the soup for 2 or 3 more minutes.

(Meanwhile I cut small squares of brown bread and cooked them in a little butter and olive oil to make croutons. Drained on kitchen paper.)

When the squash is cooked, cool slightly and then put in the blender. Blend for about 30 seconds, then add the juice from half of the lime. Blend for another 30 seconds or so. Return the soup to the pan and season to taste. (Butternut squash needs plenty of seasoning, so taste as you season. The lime juice will make less salt necessary.)

Heat the soup again and serve with the croutons.

My wife has put me on soup-making duty after this!

[Cherie]

Mmmmmm, Christopher! That sounds scrumptious! Would the cream be heavy whipping cream in "american." Or perhaps "half and half" would you know? Either would be just as good as each other I'm sure....going to try this!

[bohemian]

I just poured some single cream in! (I am not strictly allowed cream so don't tell anyone! ) Actually I used a cream substitute with fewer calories.

[LeslieDean]

I really like this soup. My mother use to make it and float some brown sugar croutons on top. Double yum!

[Cherie]

Hmmmm. I've never seen anything like that here. I'll google it!

[Cherie]

Wow! Brown sugar croutons sounds fascinating! I'll google that too, haha!

[Cherie]

Waitaminit......those croutons are lumps of brown sugar aren't they? mmmmmmm!