Curried squash soup
"We have this spicy twist on the classic soup recipe all the time" says reader Frances Cuthbert, from Maidenhead, who submitted it. "But it’s great for dinner parties because you can do it all the day before and just reheat last minute."
1 butternut squash peeled, halved, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 onions, quartered
2in (5cm) ginger, roughly chopped
4tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
500ml (18 fl oz) vegetable stock
curry powder, to taste
200ml (7 fl oz) double cream
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F, Mark 4. Put the butternut squash and onion on a baking tray, sprinkle with olive oil and season; toss to coat in the oil. Wrap the garlic in foil and pop on the tray. Roast until the squash has softened – about 45 mins.
2 Squeeze the garlic out of the skins into a blender with the veg and stock and until smooth. Pour into a saucepan, add the curry powder, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins. Check seasoning, stir in the cream and heat through for a couple of minutes. Serve with croutons for a starter or crusty bread for lunch.
