With classic English weather in full flow this April, its the perfect time to cook up a hearty nourishing potage! With spicy undertones and the zing of preserved lemon (or lemon zest) all carried on the creamy notes of squash and coconut, this recipe is the perfect way to spend a couple of hours this weekend...
This recipe includes suggested substitutions for ingredients that might be harder to come by!
Creamed Cauliflower, Coconut & Squash Potage w/ Lemon Croutons
Serves six
Takes 70 minutes (30 prep, 60 cook)
For the soup:
1 small butternut squash
1 small cauliflower
3cm ginger
4 cloves of garlic
Rind of 1/2 a preserved lemon or zest of one lemon
1 large white onion
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp salt
2 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried ancho chilli flakes or your preferred chilli
1 tsp ground coriander
3 tbsp creamed coconut or 1 can of coconut milk
1 handful of fresh coriander, chopped
2l boiled water
For the croutons:
3 slices of wholemeal sourdough or your preferred bread
Rind of 1/4 a preserved lemon or zest of 1/2 a lemon
3 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp creamed coconut or 2 tbsp coconut milk
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil
To serve:
Coconut yoghurt
Fresh coriander, chopped
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Cut the butternut squash and cauliflower into 2cm pieces. Dress lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 45 minutes.
As the veg roasts, prepare the remaining soup ingredients. Roughly mince the ginger, garlic and preserved lemon and chop the onion. Fry with some olive oil in a large large cast iron pot until the onion begins to soften.
Add the remaining soup ingredients apart from the water, stir well and remove from heat to wait until the squash and cauliflower have finished roasting.
As you wait, prepare the croutons. Cut the bread into 1-2cm cubes and set aside. Mince the preserved lemon and garlic and combine with the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl until a paste is formed. Add the bread and toss until the paste is evenly spread.
When the vegetable have finished roasting, add them to the saucepan and return to heat. Fry for 10 minutes before adding the water and leaving to simmer for a further 10 minutes. Remove from heat and use a stick blender to blend until smooth.
Grill the croutons for 20 minutes, turning every 5-10 to prevent burning.
Serve the soup with the coconut yoghurt, topped with croutons and chopped coriander.
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