This soup is special enough to offer as a starter over the festive period and perfect if you have any guests on a plant based diet. The aromatic spices make if perfect for a cold Winter’s day.
I am using the Great Taste awarded Irini’s Greek Spice Paste inspired by the Spetsieriko spice used in Corfu. The paste can be bought from Northumbrian Pantry. If you want to make the soup but can’t get hold of the spice paste, just substitute with a few aromatic spices from your cupboard (paprika, ginger, cinnamon, all spice all work very well in this recipe).
Roast the butternut squash with some thyme sprigs, with a couple of cloves of garlic and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil after you cut it in slices and removed the seeds.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 400g cooked butternut squash
- 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
- 3 celery sticks, finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1cm long piece of ginger, grated
- 1 tsp Irini’s Greek Spice Paste
- 1 tsp vegan bouillon
- 400ml almond milk
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
Bring a pan with the olive oil to a medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the celery and the spice paste and cook for 3-4 more minutes stirring continuously.
Add the almond milk, bouillon and 200ml of water. Bring to the boil, cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes. Add the butternut squash and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Blitz the soup with a stick blender and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve drizzled with a little lime juice, coriander leaves or coriander oil and a few pepper croutons.