In the cold light.

Butternut Squash. It's just brilliant, isn't it?
You can roast it. It goes perfect with houmous. You can mash it. Season it.
It's a little heavy to carry home, but it will fill your belly for hours.

I featured this soup recipe in the printed edition of Artichoke Zine, and it's one of my favourites to make pretty much any time of the year. It's warm and spicy and delicious.



Spicy Butternut Squash and Spinach Soup
Makes four bowls

1/2 onion
3 small garlic cloves
1 Butternut squash, peeled and cubed.
oil
Salt & Pepper
Chilli powder
2 stock cubes
250g spinach

In a deep saucepan heat the oil, and once warm gently fry the onion and garlic until soft and golden. Add the butternut squash- yes it is a lot. It is a lot of chopping and peeling and de-seeding and your wrist will ache but it's worth it. Season well with salt and pepper and as much chilli powder as you can handle. Give it all a good stir so that all of the squash cubes are coated, then crumble your two stock cubes and cover with hot water. Pop the lid on your saucepan and turn the heat up. Simmer for around 20 minutes, until the squash is soft and crumbles, and most of the water has evaporated. Turn the heat off and let it cool down for a few minutes, before whizzing it up with a hand held blender. Stir in the spinach- yes this also seems like a lot, but just trust me on this- and season with black pepper.

Serve with baked ciabatta rubbed with tomato, drizzled with oil and sprinkled with salt.