This week took a turn for the cold. With the promise of warm air being bought from Ex-Hurricane Ophelia, we were looking forward to at least a bit less of a bite in the air however up in Durham, it’s just got colder and colder. One of the upsides of the cold is that it’s now soup season! When you are feeling cold after walking home from work or just a bit under the weather, soup is a wonderful pick me up that is really easy the make and incredibly warming.

I am a huge fan of butternut squash soup owing to its simplicity to make and also how delicious it is. You can get 6 portions from one recipe which is ideal as the soup freezes very well and can be whipped out, defrosted and reheated in the span of 15 minutes for a quick and easy dinner. It is also perfect for a starter when entertaining as soup is very easy to spruce up to give a posh finish. I tend to use a teaspoon of cream, a little chilli oil and some chilli flakes as I really like spicy food and the three garnishes give a professional look to the dish.

Another benefit of soup is that you can dip bread in it. Fresh bread – still warm from the oven – is the perfect item for dipping. It makes the whole meal special and just adds to the experience. I try to make soup at university as it is very cheap to make and takes very little effort which is good when I am tired at the end of a week. The recipes are very transferable and you can substitute in different vegetables of your choice to make the soup your own.

Butternut Squash Soup

Servings: 6 – Cost per serving: about 50p – Prep Time: 20 minutes – Cook time: 30 minutes

1 large or 2 small butternut squash

2 onions

1 litre vegetable stock – made to half strength

2 cloves garlic – minced

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

Preheat the oven to gas mark 6 (200⁰C).

Slice the butternut squash into 1-2 cm thick slices and arrange on a baking tray.

Grind some pepper and and sprinkle some salt over the butternut squash, drizzle with olive oil and place into the oven for half an hour, turning halfway through.

About ten minutes before the squash comes out of the oven, roughly chop the onions and fry them in a large pan over a medium heat until they start to turn translucent – add the minced garlic.

Remove the squash from the oven and add to the onions.

Pour in the stock and simmer for 10 minutes to make sure all the vegetables are cooked

Let cool for a few minutes and then blend until smooth.

Add salt, pepper and more stock powder (dry) to taste

Enjoy hot with some bread and a sprinkle of chilli flakes

Let me know if you try this at home – you can find me on Instagram @thatcookingthing. If you enjoy simple recipes, why not try my macaroni cheese or if you are looking for something a bit sweeter, try your hand at making a Battenberg cake. It’s easier than you would expect!

Have a good one and I’ll see you next Monday with a recipe for an amazing tiramisu cake!

H