Butternut soup for a group

SERVES 10 TIME 3 hours LEVEL Medium

Candice Adams, the new principal at the Rosebank campus of Johannesburg’s Capsicum Culinary School, says it’s difficult to choose just one “go-to” recipe – but one of her most celebrated recipes is my bu ernut soup recipe, which is the only soup she eats. She shares her recipe:

Ingredients Soup 2 Red onions 2 Carrots 4 Cloves of garlic 2 Sticks of celery 1 red chilli 2 Sprigs of rosemary Olive oil 16 Fresh sage leaves 2kg Butternut squash (R29.99 per kg) 2l Vegetable or chicken stock – freshly made is best but convenience stock can be used

Croutons 1 loaf of ciabatta bread Olive oil Coarse sea salt Crushed black pepper Parmesan cheese

METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

2. Halve, deseed, peel and roughly chop the bu ernut

3. Place onto a baking tray, splash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the rosemary on the tray and put into the oven to roast for about an hour

4. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, roughly chop the carrot and celery and deseed and finely chop the chilli

5. Heat a couple of lugs of olive oil in a large sauce pan over a medium heat, add the sage leaves and fry until crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper

6. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, celery and chilli to the flavoured oil and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until so and aromatic (10 minutes on a low to medium heat)

7. Add the vegetable/chicken stock to the oil and allow to simmer on a low heat for about 20 minutes

8. Remove the bu ernut from the oven and add to the stock pot, allow to infuse for a further 10 minutes

9. Using a stick blender or a jug blender, puree the soup until smooth (or leave slightly chunky – to your desired texture)

10. Return to the pot and allow to warm through over a low heat

11. Place the sliced ciaba a onto a baking tray – drizzle with olive oil and season. Grate or shave parmesan over the bread. Pop into the oven to toast

12. Plate the soup in bowls, top with crisp sage leaves, parmesan shaving and a crouton and serve