The autumn sun was shining on me while I was working behind my desk, I really needed to get out and catch some sun rays. I couldn’t figure what to make for dinner so I walked to the market and let fate decide. I ran into some lovely looking butternut squash and at the same stall they also sold a variety of mushrooms, this could only mean 1 thing: Autumny SOUP!
I love the umami flavour combination of ginger, miso and pumpkin (sweet potato also works great in stead of pumpkin). And although this is an Asian inspired soup, nothing is better than dipping in fresh bread spread with salted butter.
Nothing went to waste, I roasted the pumpkin for 45 minutes at 200°C and added them skin and all into the soup to purée with the rest of the soup ingredients. Yum!
Miso, Ginger, Coconut & Butternut Squash Soup with Sautéed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 Butternut squash, halved
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3-4 cm ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 liter vegetable stock
- 150 ml coconut milk
- 200g mixed mushrooms
- Pepper & Salt
- Knob of butter (leave out if going for vegan)
- To serve
- Fresh bread & butter
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 1 tsp (toasted) sesame seeds
- Chili flakes or 1/2 fresh red chili, finely chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Wash and then halve the pumpkins and scrape out the seeds (discard or keep them to roast at a later stage, I've never done that before though)
Place the pumpkins cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes until skin is browning and flesh is soft.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before chopping into 3cm cubes, leaving the skin in.
In a large soup pan heat a drop of olive oil and sauté the onion until fragrant and translucent, ± 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Add the pumpkin, give it a good stir, then add the stock.
Turn up the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, stir through and let bubble for another minute.
Take off the heat and then blitz with a handmixer until a smooth soup.
Taste, season and put the lid back on the pan.
Sauté the mushrooms in some olive oil and a knob of butter (leave the butter out if cooking vegan) in a cast iron skillet (or whatever pan you have available).
Don't overmix the mushrooms while sautéing, this will cause the moisture to seep out and evaporate, losing flavour an texture. Brown on one side first before flipping to the other sides. All in all this will take 7-8 minutes.
Serve the soup with the mushroom, spring onion, chili flakes, sesame seeds and fresh crusty bread.
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