Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:…
About 1 ½ butternut squash, cut into 1 inch dice
Olive oil, for roasting
8 sage leaves, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion chopped
Seeds from 10 cardamom pods, crushed (optional)
4 cups vegetable stock
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
Crème fraiche, sour cream or Greek yogurt, to serve

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Put the squash cubes in a roasting pan, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with the chopped sage. Toss the cubes so that they are well coated in the oil, then roast them in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cubes are soft and turning golden. Remove the squash from the oven and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté until soft. Add the crushed cardamom pods (if using), the vegetable stock and the orange rind and juice. Then add the squash. Give it all a stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until all the ingredients are soft and pulpy and the liquid has reduced a little. Remove the pan from the heat and use a handheld immersion blender to blend the mixture until smooth.
Serve the soup with a dollop of crème fraiche, sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com

Like us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/thasc1977