Name: Roasted squash soup with chestnuts
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 kabocha or butternut squash, about 950g; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely sliced; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; about 1.2-litre chicken stock - use gluten-free stock if required; 1 x 250ml tub Taste the Difference full-fat crème fraîche; 25g unsalted butter; 30g smoked bacon lardons, diced; 150g cooked peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp snipped chives

Roasted squash soup with chestnuts

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Monica Galetti

Serves 4 | prep 20 mins | total time 55 mins

Velvety smooth, this luxurious soup combines classic winter flavours of smoky bacon and seasonal chestnuts with sweet and earthy butternut squash. Add less crème fraiche for a lighter version

Ingredients

1 kabocha or butternut squash, about 950g
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
about 1.2-litre chicken stock - use gluten-free stock if required
1 x 250ml tub Taste the Difference full-fat crème fraîche

To finish

25g unsalted butter
30g smoked bacon lardons, diced
150g cooked peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp snipped chives

Step by step

Get ahead

The soup can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days, or frozen

Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7. Peel, halve and deseed the squash, then cut into small chunks and place in a roasting tray. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season. Roast in the oven for about 35 minutes or until soft and caramelised.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and sweat gently over a low heat for 7-8 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
Set aside about 12 chunks of the roasted squash for the garnish. Add the rest to the pan, pour in enough of the stock to cover, about 800-900ml, and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Blitz the soup until smooth then pour back into the pan. Whisk in the crème fraîche, season to taste and add enough of the remaining stock to give the desired consistency.
When ready to serve, melt the butter in a frying pan until foaming. Add the bacon and chestnuts and cook until the bacon is lightly coloured. Dice the reserved squash into small pieces, and mix with the bacon and chestnuts. Divide the hot soup between 4 bowls and garnish each with the squash mixture. Sprinkle with the snipped chives.

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