Thursday 11 September 2008

Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

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Since last night the summer soup break is officially over. I love soup and it is getting to that time of year where the evenings are getting cold and dark enough to have loads of it. Don't get me wrong I'll occassionaly eat soup during the summer, but only when I eat out.

The last couple of days, since getting back from Germany it has been pretty miserable outside, so the weather combined with my cold made me crave a bowl of hot, steaming soup. While I was at my mum and dad's house, one of the local farm shops had a pumpkin and potato fete, which really got me into thinking about autumn and all it's glory, the lovely colours, the frosty and misty mornings, the still sunny days and of course all the autumn vegetables that are already or will soon be available everywhere.

Inspired by all the glorious varieties at the farm shop fete, I quickly decided that pumpkin soup would be the first soup I would make. When I went to my local shop here though all I could get my hands on was a butternut squash, so that's what I used, but if you have of a beautiful pumpkin why not use that instead. I also cheated and used roast pepper from a jar, as it needed using up, but you could easily roast your own at the same time as the squash or pumpkin.

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As butternut squash is in season here in the UK in September, I'll enter this into Maninas: Food Matters' Eating with Seasons: September blog event. Go check it out, there are still a couple of days left to enter!

Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
(serves 3-4)

1 butternut squash
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 rosted red pepper, chopped
1 inch of fresh ginger, grated
1 red chili, desseded and chopped finely
1- 1 1/4 litre vegetable stock
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Cut your butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon.

Drizzle with a little olive oil and place in a baking tray in an oven at 200C/Gas 5 for about 45 minutes to an hour, until the flesh is soft.

In the meantime heat a little oil in a large, heavy-based pan and sweat the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add the pepper, ginger, chili and half of the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Once the butternut squash or pumpkin is done, scoop out all the soft flesh and add to the pan. Puree, using a stick blender until smooth and add the rest of the stock until you get your desired thickness.

Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes.

Serve with some fresh, crusty bread.

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28 comments:

Marie Rayner said...

That looks delicous Sylvie! WE certainly have been having soup weather lately!

RecipeGirl said...

I love the two soups on their own, so combining red pepper and butternut is a grand idea!

Anonymous said...

I love butternut squash soup,make it a lot in winter.I made your Orzo salad recently for a bbq and it went down a storm,people couldnt get enough,our neighbour made it for her bbq.

Deborah said...

My in laws planted butternut squash in their garden this year, and I'm eagerly awaiting for it to ripen! This sounds delicious!

Maria♥ said...

I love soups and one of the things I love about the arrival of autumn is making home-made soups! Your butternut squash soup looks delish and right up my alley.

Maria
x

Sam said...

Butternut squash makes excellent soup, perfect for this time of year!

Sylvie said...

Marie, the weather has been dreadful and cold ever since I got back. I'm seriously considering putting the heating on for a few hours a day. I wish I had a wood burning stove or fire place.

Recipegirl, I have to say i did quite enjoy my little experiment of combining the two.

Anonymous, I'm glad to hear that the orzo salad was a hit with you and your guests.

Deborah, I wish I could have got this straight from somebody's garden, that would have made it even better.

Maria, like you soups is one of the things I like about autumn and winter.

Sam, I couldn't agree more. There is something so comforting about the sweetness and velvety texture that works wonderful in soup.

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

I really, really, really don't want to think about autumn yet! I am trying to deny it! But your soup does look gorgeous, such a beautiful colour. I bet it was yummy :)

Gloria Baker said...

Sylvie this soup look absolutely yummy,Gloria

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Who wouldn't love a comforting soup on a cool night:D

Maria said...

This soup sounds so delicious! And then served with crusty bread...talk about the perfect dinner. Love your blog!

Katie said...

Yum! The photos are gorgeous.

Sylvie said...

Holler, there are things I like about autumn, but I don't think I'm really quite ready for it yet either.

Gloria, thank you.

Val, I agree fully.

Maria, thank you.

Katie, I'm glad you like them. Thanks.

Sophie said...

This soup sounds so delicious. I've actually never had this or pumpkin soup, but I do have a butternut squash sitting on my counter. Funny thing is, I've been meaning to look up a soup recipe! I think I might come back to this recipe later on in the week and try it out :).

fleur said...

That looks delicious, Ive just started to make soups, but ive only made the usual tomato and vegetable, tomorow I am going to make this one I love peppers and squash, and it is always soup weather in England :(

David Hall said...

A beautiful soup, I do a similar one and funnilyenough, was going to post it today?! Will keep it for a nother time.

Cheers
David

Nic said...

Your soup has a lovely colour Sylvie, it looks perfect for this time of year.

Anonymous said...

Hi Sylvie,

The book has arrived! And I love it! The recipes look fantastic, can't wait to try them out! Thank you very much indeed!

And thank you for this gorgeous entry. I really like the photos.

Sylvie said...

Sophie and Flower, if you try it, do let me know what you think of it! I'd love to know.

David, I'm looking forward to your version!

Nic, it certainly is getting a bit chilly in the evenings now, isn't it?!

Maninas, glad it got to you okay and thanks for organising the blog event.

Jaime said...

i love how vibrant the color of that is. i love butternut squash soup - i only wish my husband would eat it if i made it!

Rosie said...

Sylvie this is just perfect for the cooler nights, a steaming mug of scrummy soup - That does looks delicious!!

Rosie x

fleur said...

Sylvie I tried the soup today, it was absolutely wonderful I will definitely be making it again thank you for posting it

Sylvie said...

Jaime, isn't it annoying when your partner doesn't like something really good?!

Rosie, thank you.

Flower, I'm thrilled to hear you liked it, as it really is a recipe that I made up myself.

Katerina said...

This is so funny, I just posted something that reads exactly like this! It is even butternut squash based. Thank god soup is back eh?

Sylvie said...

Katerina, I just had a look and love the idea of adding coconut.

jane said...

This looks a lovely warming soup, I'm glad i found you!

test it comm said...

That sounds like a great combination of flavours for a soup. Nice photos!

Lucy May Schofield said...

Sylvie, I just made this soup from some butternut squash leftovers on the turn in the fridge. I didn't have a red pepper or fresh ginger, and only accompanied the soup with a warmed stale baguette, BUT it was STILL delicious! Thanks for saving me out here in Brooklyn on a night where it's too late to trawl the streets for ingredients. My Angel xx