Recipe Inspiration

Ingredients...

20ml rapeseed oil

250g chopped onion

5 crushed garlic cloves

2 finely chopped

lemon grass sticks

2cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

125g chopped leeks

125g chopped sweet peppers

125g chopped carrots

750g chopped butternut squash

2 bay-leaves 2 thyme sprigs (picked from the stem)

50g tomato puree

500ml coconut cream

25g Essential Cuisine Light Vegetable Stock Mix

75g Essential Cuisine Aromatic Stock Base

1.7ltrs water 25g coriander

25g Thai basil

A twist of freshly ground pepper

Sea salt seasoned to your taste

Method...

1. Heat rapeseed oil in a suitable saucepan, add the chopped onions, garlic, lemon grass, ginger, leeks, peppers and carrots, fry gently until they are tender with not too much colour. Stir in the butternut squash

2. Add the bay-leaves and thyme. Add the tomato puree and coconut cream, stir well

3. Stir in the Essential Cuisine Light Vegetable Stock, Essential Cuisine Aromatic Stock Base and water, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are softened

4. When cooked, remove the bay-leaves, stir in the coriander and basil leaves, blend the soup in a liquidiser or with a stick blender until smooth

5. Pass through a sieve into a clean pan. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and bring back to the boil 6, Your Aromatic Butternut Squash Soup is ready to serve with picked Thai basil and coriander leaves

Chefs Tip

Stir in double cream or crème fraiche for a rich velvety soup.