Roasted Butternut and Lentil Soup

There is nothing more comforting than having soup on a cold winters night. I was so in the mood for a delicious homemade butternut soup.

I think I found the perfect recipe. It comes out quiet thick so you can thin it down with milk.

My hubby was not to impressed he complained because there was no meat. There goes my hopes of doing a "Meatless Monday". He enjoyed it but said it will be better as a starter and not as a meal. I enjoyed it and served with some lovely crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS: 

1 butternut , about 1kg, peeled and deseeded and chopped

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion - sliced into wedges

3 garlic cloves 

1 mild red chilli , deseeded and finely chopped

650 ml hot vegetable stock

200 ml wine

1 cup of  red lentils - rinsed

4 tbsp crème fraîche

METHOD:

Heat oven to 240C. Cut the butternut into large cubes, add the onion, garlic cloves with the skin on, sprinkle the chilli. Toss in a large roasting tin with the olive oil, nutmeg and brown sugar. Roast for 30 - 40 mins, turning once during cooking, until golden and soft.

In the meantime add the vegetable stock, wine and lentils to a saucepan, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and allow for it to simmer until all soft.

Once the butternut is cook, remove the garlic from the garlic skin and whizz in a liquidizer until smooth. Add to the lentils. With a hand blender give a good blend until nice and smooth. If to thick, thin down with milk until your liking. 

Serve in a dish, and spoon in a whirl of crème fraîche, season with salt and pepper and serve with some lovely crusty bread.