ROASTY SMOKEY CHORIZO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

So Christmas is over and those chilly winter nights are getting colder. What this calls for is this delicious soup made with chorizo and butternut squash, roasted in the oven in an array of delicious herbs and spices and then garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche and onion chutney for a final little flourish. It's such a deep and warmly smoky tasting soup you will feel the worries of the day wash right away right after your first spoonful. I can't think of anything better to tuck into on a cold January evening.

I wouldn't change much about this recipe, I think the blend of the ingredients is spot on. There is the problem of the chorizo for the veggies in your life and the only thing I would suggest for that is that you leave out the chorizo (obvs!) and sprinkle a tsp or two of smoked paprika over the butternut squash before roasting to add some of the flavors of those chorizo spices to the soup.

I'll take the time to mention about slow cooking at this point too. Prepare this soup early in the day and then after you have blended the soup you can transfer it to a slow cooker and the longer you let it bubble away in there the most intense and delicious that soup will get. If you haven't got a slow cooker then I'd buy one for this soup alone. Trust me, it'll be the best investment you'll ever make.

Lets get cracking - recipe below will make enough for four people and don't worry if you don't have the garnishes. Whilst they enhance this soup super dead loads, it's still super lully without them too;

Roasted Chorizo And Butternut Squash Soup

1 Large Butternut Squash

Good Glug Of Olive Oil

2 Large Red Onions (Cut Into Quarters)

 100g Cubed Chorizo

2 Grated Garlic Cloves

2 Tbsp Liquid Smoke

2 Tsp Cumin Seeds

Handfull Chopped Coriander Leaves

Salt And Pepper To Season

500ml Vegetable Stock

A Few Dollops Of Creme Fraiche

A Few Dollops Of Onion Chutney

Coriander Leaves To Garnish

1. Get your oven straight on to 200 degrees (180 fan) and line a roasting tray with foil. Cut your squash into half and discard the seeds. Plonk both halves in the tray, flesh side up and pour a good glug of olive oil over each half.
2. Over each half, arrange the onions and chorizo and sprinkle over the garlic, liquid smoke (if using), cumin seeds, coriander leaves and then season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for40 minutes until the flesh of the squash is soft enough to scoop out with a spoon. Remove from the oven and leave to one side until cool enough to handle.
3. Whilst the squash cools, make up the stock and place in a large pan on a medium heat to warm slightly. Scoop out the flesh of the squash and add to the stock along with any other bits and bobs left in the roasting tray (especially the chorizo but defiantly not the squash skin!).
4. Bring the mix to a boil and then use a stick blender to blend the soup to as smooth a texture as you prefer. At this point you can either transfer to a slow cooker to cook until ready to serve or reduce the pan to a simmer for around 20 minutes if you plan to serve the soup immediately.
5. Ladle out the soup into boils and garnish with a tbsp of creme fraiche, followed by the chutney and garnish finally with the whole coriander leaves..

Of course as with any soup you must serve this with a nice warm crusty baguette slathered with butter which has just come straight out the oven or quite frankly you are some kind of weirdo.  Its an absolute gem of a soup. That blended chorizo gives it a great smokey flavor that runs right through every mouthful which is then matched by the cooling creme fraiche and chutney garnish. This will sort you right out after a day out in the freezing cold and give you that warm feeling right inside.

A Truly Roasty Smokey Sensation!