Serves 4
Salsa Verde & Butternut Squash Soup
I think a really herby salsa verde is perhaps one of the most elevating condiments we can make, turning the simplest soup, steamed fish, chicken, plain pasta, or simple vegetables into a leading lady of a dish. It packs such a flavour punch, balancing aromatic herbs with a welcome cut of vinegar, yet is as simple as anything to make. You simply chuck all the ingredients into a mini food processor (or mince with a pestle and mortar), whizz and taste. Voila!
You can vary the herbs you choose according to what is in season, what you have available, or what would work best with your chosen dish. And as well as being deliciously versatile, it’s also a lovely way to get an extra portion of greens into your meal without having to cook another vegetable side. It also freezes brilliantly (I do this in individual portions in an ice tray) if you have any excess that you want to preserve for another day.
TIP: I love this with cooked butter beans, drizzled over roasted vegetables, dolloped onto a vegetable soup or over some pan-fried fish or simply cooked chicken
INGREDIENTS
For the salsa verde:
- 20g fresh mint
- 30g fresh parsley
- 30g fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 5 anchovies (optional – omit if vegetarian / vegan)
- 2 tbsp capers
- 25g hazelnuts (or sunflower seeds work too and are a bit more budget friendly)
- 2 tbsp Aspall White Wine Vinegar
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
For the butternut squash soup:
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced
- 1 red onion, peeled and cut into quarters
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 400g tin butterbeans, drained and rinsed
- 1ltr Stock, I use chicken stock
STEP-BY-STEP
Salsa Verde:
Pick the leaves from the mint, parsley and basil and discard the stems.
On a large board, chop together the herbs, garlic, anchovies and capers until very finely chopped. Add the hazelnuts and roughly chop them into the herbs.
Transfer to a bowl and add the white wine vinegar and olive oil. You may need a little more or less olive oil depending on your desired consistency.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Butternut squash soup:
Preheat the oven to 150ºC
Spread the squash and onion out onto a large baking tray and drizzle over the oil. Season well with salt and pepper, then toss everything together to coat in oil.
Roast for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the tray. 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time, tip the beans into the tray to heat through.
Tip the vegetables into a blender or food processor along with half of the stock. Blend until smooth, adding extra stock as needed to reach your desired consistency.
This recipe has kindly been sponsored by Aspall Cyder and Vinegar
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