Pumpkin and Butternut Squash soup recipe

The best of autumn's bounty, the colourful pumpkin and butternut squash. Their delicious rich flesh makes a fantastic soup starter or a warm winter lunch or supper with a chunk of bread and a hunk of cheese.

Brilliant out of a flask at Halloween parties and most children love its sweet flavour. If you're not in rush, cut the vegetables in half and roast in a hot oven for 20 minutes, scoop out the flesh and add to the rest of the ingredients in the liquidiser.

Pumpkin and Butternut Squash soup 

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 small pumpkin (skinned and cubed)
• 1 small butternut squash (skinned and cubed)
• 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
• A bunch of fresh sage
• 900ml (1 ½ pint) stock
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Olive oil
• Plain yogurt or cream

Method

Sweat the pumpkin and potato in olive oil in a deep edged pan for 5 minutes.

Add most of the stock and a few sage leaves and cover, simmer until the vegetables are soft.

Liquidise until smooth, adding more stock if necessary and gently reheat when required.

Season and sprinkle over a few crushed, fried sage leaves or a swirl of natural yogurt or cream.