This soup is a real winter warmer filled with goodness. I love a bowl of this for lunch after being out on the water in the winter. Warms me right up!

Serves: About 6

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 butternut squash (about 1kg) peeled and chopped into 2cm chunks

1 tsp cayenne pepper

8 cloves garlic

2 leeks roughly chopped

2 celery sticks roughly chopped

1 chilli diced

400g can of butter beans

3 sprigs of rosemary

1 litre chicken stock

3 tbsp crème fraiche

1 tbsp lemon juice  

Method

In a roasting tin place, chopped butternut squash, garlic cloves (skin on), cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and 2 tbsp olive oil. Roast at 200 degrees for 25-30 mins until butternut squash is cooked through.

Meanwhile, put 2 tsbp olive oil in a saucepan or casserole pan. Over a low heat sweat down the leeks and celery for about 15 mins until softened. Then add in the butter beans, rosemary and chilli and cook for a few more minutes. Tip in the roasted butternut squash and squeeze out the garlic from the flesh into pan. Add 1 litre of chicken stock and 500ml of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 mins.

Remove and discard rosemary sticks from the soup and then blitz with crème fraiche and lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Serve warm with fresh bread. Enjoy!