Soup for the Soul

It’s snowing today and it’s so beautiful outside with frosted green lawns and an unhurried snowfall, it’s almost heartbreaking.

So today I feel like a warm comforting soup.. I feel like my butternut squash soup. Butternut squash is a cousin of our Indian pumpkin, it’s in season in winter and a classic winter warmer. I have tried many butternut squash soup recipes but I like mine the best. And it’s ludicrously simple to make.

I sauté an onion with one garlic clove and one dried red chilli. Once onions are translucent, I put in chopped butternut squash (I keep the skins, they are healthy I am told) and a chopped sweet red pepper. I give it a vicious stir, add some water, chuck in a cube of vegetable stock, cover it and let it happily simmer on medium heat till I can crush the butternut squash with a fork. Once cooked, I blend the whole thing with my hand blender, add a wee bit of milk (to make it a little creamy), season it (salt, pepper), simmer it for another 30 seconds and it’s done! Then depending on my mood I garnish it.. with coriander or croutons or cheese. Today I feel like some crispy bacon!

So steady drizzle of white outside, cosy home, pajamas and winter socks, cheesy movie, warm butternut squash soup with crispy bacon & warm bread rolls with English butter. Can’t wait!