1.4kgwhole butternut squash (a little more or less in weight is fine)
1brown onion
2cloves ofgarlic
1Lvegetable stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Soak the cashews
Add the cashews and water into a heat-proof bowl. Leave to soak.
Prepare the vegetables
Prepare the squash. Carefully slice in half, spoon out the inner seeds and discard. Place the flat-side of each squash halve down, and slice into thick wedges. Thinly slice the skin off each slice, and dice the flesh into bite-sized chunks. Aim for each piece to be relatively uniform in size, so they’ll cook at a similar rate.
Peel onion and garlic, and discard skin. Roughly chop each.
Prepare the vegetables
Into a large saucepan or soup pot add the squash, onion, garlic and vegetable stock.
Bring to boil uncovered, then reduce to a simmer until the squash is tender - roughly 35-40 minutes.
Once the soup has finished cooking, blend the cashews and water until smooth.
Add soup into the blender (let cool first, if required for your machine). You may need to so this in batches, depending on the size of your blender.
Once soup has blended, taste test, and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Pour back into the stove pot and gently warm to serve.
Notes:
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION Pre-made stocks can vary in terms of ingredients and preparation methods, so it's important to carefully review labels and check for gluten-containing ingredients if needed for you. Some pre-made stocks might include ingredients like wheat or other gluten-containing additives for flavour or thickening. To ensure you're using a gluten-free stock, look for products that are specifically labeled "gluten-free" or certified by a reputable certification organisation.ALTERNATIVE TO CASHEW CREAM If you prefer not to use cashew cream, you can replace it with dairy cream by adding 100ml.