I have just discovered these little bon bon squashes (shown in the photo) make excellent soup. The roasted flesh and skin becomes tender with cooking and liquidises to a texture I can only describe as liquid velvet. Squash teams up so well with sage, chestnuts and toasted pumpkin seeds. If you cannot find a bob bon squash use half a butternut squash squash instead.
Makes 4 portions
Ingredients
1 small bon bon squash, skin on, cut in to crescent shapes, seeds removed
olive oil for roasting the squash
sea salt and black pepper
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 large clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped
1 x 400g tin canned tomatoes
1 litre vegetable stock
10 fresh sage leaves
To finish
1 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
a few fresh sage leaves fried in a little oil until crisp
a few chestnuts, finely chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F
Place the squash pieces in a roasting tin, toss with a little olive oil and seasoning and put in the preheated oven. Cook until the squash is tender and beginning to caramelise. This will take about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Meanwhile place the remaining vegetables (apart from the sage) in a large saucepan with the vegetable stock. Bring the stock to the boil, lower the heat and simmer the vegetables until they are tender. This will take about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Add the roasted squash and sage leaves to the vegetables and stock and liquidise in batches. I use a Nutribullet to liquidise my soups. It makes a very smooth texture. Adjust the seasoning of the soup to your taste. I added a little chilli to mine.
Serve the soup with a sprinkle of crisp, friend sage leaves, toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped cooked chestnuts.
