Butternut, Black Garlic and Sweet Potato Soup with Sage and Onion Croutes

Serves 4

Ingredients - Soup

• 500g Butternut Squash – cut into wedges (skin on – seeds removed
• 500g Sweet Potatoes - chopped
• 1.5 Litres vegetable stock
• 1 onion – finely chopped
• 3 cloves of peeled black garlic - sliced
• 1 small wineglass of cider or white wine
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• Salt and black pepper.

Ingredients - Croutes

• 1 small baguette
• 1 clove of peeled black garlic
• Half an onion – finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• Half a sweet apple – grated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 50g grated cheddar cheese.

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180C 350F Gas Mark 4
2. Place the butternut squash wedges in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until the butternut is soft and slightly caramelised.
3. Meanwhile, put the vegetable stock into a large pan and bring to the boil. Add the sweet potatoes and 1 teaspoon of dried sage. Simmer until the potatoes are soft.
4. Fry the onion and the sliced black garlic very gently in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the onions are soft but not coloured. Scoop the flesh from the butternut skin and place the flesh into the frying pan. Mix together.
5. Add the cider or wine and quickly bring to the boil then reduce the cider or wine by half.
6. Add the butternut and onion mixture to the large pan and stir together.
7. Liquidise the soup.
8. Season to taste with salt and black pepper
9. Gently heat the soup.

To make the croutes

1. Slice the baguette into 1 cm slices. Toast gently on one side until slightly brown. Rub over a little black garlic.
2. Remove from the grill and put to one side.
3. Fry the onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1 teaspoon of dried sage, the grated apple and the grated cheese. Mix together.
4. Place on top of the un-toasted side of the baguette. Return to the grill until bubbly and golden brown.

To serve.

Ladle the soup into the soup dishes. Place one croute on top of each bowl of soup. Serve immediately with the rest of the croutes on the side.

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