Bulked-up butternut soup

Ingredients:

• 3kg cubed butternut
• ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
• Salt and milled pepper
• 3 onions, chopped
• 5 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) each ground cumin and ground coriander
• ½ Tbsp (7ml) ground cinnamon
• 5 cups (1.25L) chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 cups (750ml) water
• 2-3 Tbsp (30-45ml) lemon juice
• 1 tub (250ml) cream
• ½ cup (125g) butter (optional)

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place butternut on 2 or 3 baking trays, take care not to overcrowd trays.
3. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil and season.
4. Roast for about 30 minutes or until well browned.
5. Heat remaining oil in a large 6-8L pot and sauté onion and celery for 8-10 minutes 
or until golden.
6. Add spices and cook for a minute.
7. Add butternut and remaining ingredients, excluding cream and butter, and simmer partially covered for 35-40 minutes.
8. Season.
9. Cool slightly and blitz with a stick blender until smooth.
10. Stir through cream and butter (if using).
11. Cool before refrigerating or freezing, or serve immediately as is or perk up with the below suggestions.

Variations to try:

Curried chickpea soup: 

Heat a glug olive oil in a large pot. Rinse and drain 2 cans (400g each) chickpeas. Fry chickpeas until crispy, then set a few spoonfuls aside for topping. Add 3-4 Tbsp (45-60ml) rogan josh or korma curry paste to pot and add 10 cups (2.5L) butternut soup base. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve topped with crispy chickpeas, a dollop of yoghurt and garnish with parsley. SERVES 4

Spiced chorizo and bean soup:

Heat 10 cups (2.5L) butternut soup base along with 2 cans (400g each) white butter beans until steaming hot. Heat a glug olive oil in a pan and fry ½ coil (100g) sliced chorizo until crispy. Remove chorizo and in the same pan fry 1 tsp (5ml) crushed cumin seeds. Serve soup topped with chorizo and cumin seed oil. SERVES 4

West African peanut soup:

Heat a glug olive oil in a pan and fry 3cm knob grated ginger for a few seconds. Add 2 Tbsp (30ml) tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Add 8 cups (2L) butternut soup base, 3 Tbsp (45ml) smooth peanut butter and ½-1 cup (125-250ml) veg stock or water and heat until steaming hot. Pan-fry 1 packet (200g) PnP Livewell plain tofu until crispy. Add a handful Swiss chard to soup and allow to wilt. Serve soup topped with tofu, salted peanuts and fresh coriander. SERVES 4