Ingredients

Ingredients

. 2oz/50g butter

. 2 carrots

. 1 leek

. 2 sticks celery

. 1 large butternut squash

. ½ medium onion

. 3 cloves of garlic

. ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

. 1200ml chicken/vegetable stock

. 4floz/110ml pouring cream

Preparation

  1. Begin by peeling and chopping all of the vegetables into chunky pieces.
  2. Select a large saucepan and slowly melt the butter.
  3. Add in all of the vegetables and mix thoroughly and continue to pan roast them for 6-8 minutes. Adding a little cinnamon at this stage will give the vegetables a nice spiced flavour.
  4. Continue to keep a constant stir on the vegetables to prevent them from sticking to the saucepan.
  5. Season lightly at this stage.
  6. Next you need to add in the cream and 2/3 of the stock.
  7. Bring this entire mixture to the boil and then reduce the heat to a constant simmer.
  8. Simmer for the next 15-20 minutes or until all of the vegetables have softened.
  9. Blitz the soup until smooth, adjusting the consistency with the remaining stock as required.
  10. Taste the soup and season accordingly. If you wish you can add a little additional Cinnamon at this stage.
  11. Serve the soup in a small bowl or china teacup with a swirl of either cream or crème fraiche lighted spiced with ground cinnamon.

Additional Notes: If you wish you can add in a cinnamon stick with the vegetables at the beginning and remove it before the blitzing stage.