Roasted squash and apple soup recipe

There is a natural sweetness that bursts from every mouthful of this soup

(Image credit: Laura Edwards)

For me, soups are always superior when the veg has been roasted beforehand (as opposed to boiled), said Flora Shedden. The squash and apple in this recipe both develop a lovely natural sweetness when they are left to roast and caramelise; the other great thing about this recipe is that you just shove everything in a tray to cook together.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

1 butternut squash (about 900g), peeled and deseeded, then cut into 1cm slices
2 eating apples (about 250g), cored and cut into 1cm slices
1 large onion (about 250g), cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
45g fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
45ml/3 tbsp cider vinegar
10g sage leaves
1kg chicken (or vegetable) stock
olive oil, for cooking
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
yoghurt, to serve

For the crispy breadcrumb topping:

50g fresh breadcrumbs
50g pumpkin seeds
10g sage leaves, the smaller the better, but if large tear in half
olive oil, for frying

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C fan/200C/400F).
Put the squash, apples, onion, garlic and ginger onto a baking tray and drizzle over the cider vinegar and a generous amount of olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper, then add the sage leaves. Toss everything together with your hands, then place in the oven to roast for 40-50 mins, stirring halfway through, until the squash is soft and nearly falling apart. If your veg is browning too quickly, cover the tray with foil.
Once cooked, spoon the vegetables into a large saucepan and pour over the stock. Use a splash of the stock or some boiling water to rinse out the roasting pan, then use a wooden spoon to loosen off any caramelised bits. Add those to the pan with the veg, then bring the soup to the boil and cook for 10 mins or until everything is simmering.
Remove the pan from the heat and use a hand-held blender (or food processor) to blend the soup until very smooth. Season to taste.
To make the topping, heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the breadcrumbs, pumpkin seeds and sage leaves for 5 mins, or until everything is crispy and fragrant.
Serve the soup with the crispy breadcrumbs, a dollop of yoghurt, and a drizzle of oil.

Taken from “Winter in the Highlands” by Flora Shedden.