Tue, 3 October 2017
DISH: Roasted Butternut Squash & Smoked Bacon Soup
CHEF: Edward Hayden
INGREDIENTS:
2oz/50g butter
2 carrots
1 leek
2 sticks celery
1 large butternut squash
½ medium onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 level teaspoon crushed chilli flakes
3oz/75g bacon lardons
1500ml chicken/vegetable stock
7floz/200ml pouring cream
Seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat a large frying pan with a little butter and cook up the diced bacon lardons until they are crispy. Store in a bowl until required.
- Begin by peeling and chopping all of the vegetables into uniform pieces.
- Select a large saucepan and slowly melt the butter.
- Add in all of the vegetables and mix thoroughly to coat them all with a little butter.
- Increase the heat under the vegetables and continue to pan roast for the next 10-12 minutes or until the vegetables are coloured (the smaller vegetables will be soft). Continue to keep a constant stir on the vegetables to prevent them from sticking to the saucepan.
- Season lightly at this stage.
- Retain the high heat under the saucepan and then add in the chilli flakes which will generate a most fragrant smell in your kitchen. Next you need to add in 2/3 of the stock.
- Bring this entire mixture to the boil and then reduce the heat to a constant simmer.
- Simmer for the next 15-20 minutes or until all of the vegetables have softened.
- At this stage, depending on necessity you can add the remainder of the stock. I normally add it gradually whilst I am blitzing the soup in order to achieve your preferred consistency (thick or thin).
- Blitz the soup until smooth, adjusting the consistency with the remaining stock.
Taste the soup and season accordingly. For those that are more daring they may wish to add in extra chilli flakes at this time.
- Garnish the soup with the crisp bacon lardons.
