Butternut squash soup

• butternut squash↗1

  about 1kg, peeled and deseeded

• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• butter↗1 tbsp tbsp
• onions↗2

  diced

• garlic clove↗1

  thinly sliced

• mild red chillies↗2

  deseeded and finely chopped

• hot vegetable stock↗850ml ml
• crème fraîche↗4 tbsp tbsp

  plus more to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

2. 2

   Cut the squash into large cubes, about 4cm/1½in across, then toss in a large roasting tin with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.

3. 3

   Roast for 30 mins, turning once during cooking, until golden and soft.

4. 4

   While the butternut squash cooks, melt the butter with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the onions, garlic clove and three-quarters of the chillies.

5. 5

   Cover and cook on a very low heat for 15-20 mins until the onions are completely soft.

6. 6

   Tip the butternut squash into the pan, add the stock and crème fraîche, then whizz with a stick blender until smooth. For a really silky soup, put the soup into a liquidiser and blitz it in batches.

7. 7

   Return to the pan, gently reheat, then season to taste. Serve the soup in bowls with swirls of crème fraîche and a scattering of the remaining chopped chilli.