Tis the most wonderful time of the year

23rd Dec - Butternut Squash and Chorizo Soup

We're almost there people. Only two sleeps left. How exciting. Are you all ready and wrapped, or are you panicked and running around like a headless chicken? I did our Christmas food shop this morning. The shop, car park, and roads were mad.... honesty I think people loose brain cells and all morsels of common sense around Christmas. I survived the ordeal anyway and the fridge is full. there will be food on Sunday.

I am going to venture into Bath tomorrow to look at a final present for Guy and to see if I can pick up a little something for my friend's little girl. Then it's just the last few presents to wrap and tie with ribbon - which is my new favourite thing.

I'm going to write out all the recipes tonight so I have them to hand, rather than on my laptop. There is no way I am going to be able to keep all the ingredients, instructions, and timings in my head.

Butternut Squash and Chorizo Soup

I have made this soup several times and think it's perfect for Christmas. It has just the right amount of spice to make it feel festive and it’s incredible warm and satisfying. My husband loves it as well, which is a bonus as he' s incredible annoying and fussy with vegetables.

I'll be making this on Christmas Eve and will pop it in the fridge until it’s needed. And if I have some left-over it will be freezer bagged up for the new year and those cold evenings.

The Ingredients:
500g butternut squash
300 g chorizo,
Olive oil
1 medium onion
1 large carrot
1 stick of celery
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
750 ml chicken stock
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
½ tsp black pepper
Salt

How to make it:
Heat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
Peeled and deseeded the butternut squash and cut into cubes.
Toss the squash in a little of the olive oil and place in a roasting tin.
Cook for about 15/20 minutes until it’s soft and starting to brown around the edges. Then set to one side.
Add a little olive oil to a pan and heat on medium.
Chop the chorizo and sauté in the pan for about 10 minutes to render the fat.
Remove the chorizo and place on some kitchen paper using a slotted spoon
Pour all but two tablespoons of fat from the pan.
Dice the onion finely and add to the pan, cooking on a low heat for 5/ 10 minutes until soft and translucent.
Peel and diced the carrot and celery and then add to the pan.
Cook very gently for 10 / 15 minutes. Once the vegetables are very soft, add the garlic and sauté for a minute.
Add the spices (apart from the nutmeg and pepper) and stir for another minute until they release their fragrance.
Add the squash and stir.
Pour in the stock and add the nutmeg and black pepper, then simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Cool slightly and purée in a blender or with a wand blender, or pass through a sieve.

THIS IS THE POINT YOU CAN PLACE THE SOUP IN THE FRIDGE/FREEZER – Just cool the soup completely before you do.

When you are ready to serve simple heat the soup in pan and stir in the chorizo, adding salt and more pepper if needed.

Hopefully you will love this soup as much as we do. If you can’t get hold of butternut squash, pumpkin and sweet potato work just as well. I’ve also had this slightly more textured and with added butterbeans…. Yummy.

Merry Blogmas,