Description
Sweet roasted butternut is blitzed until silky-smooth, then topped with crisp smoked rashers that provide flavour and texture.
Ingredients
Soup
2,5 kg butternut, cubed
3 Tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) mild curry powder
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 C (1 litre) vegetable stock
1 C (250 ml) fresh cream
Juice of 2 oranges
To Serve
600 g smoked pork rashers, sliced into chunks
⅓ C (80 ml) plain yoghurt, for serving
Fresh thyme, leaves picked
⅓ C (80 ml) toasted pumpkin seeds
Pepper, to taste
Instructions
Soup
Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
Spread the cubed butternut onto a large baking tray, drizzle with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes, or until the butternut is soft and caramelised around the edges.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil in a large pot. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in the curry powder and cook for another minute to release its aromas, then add the thyme and roasted butternut.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes, then use a stick blender to blitz the soup until completely smooth. Stir in the cream and gently heat through, being careful not to let it boil. Add the orange juice, and then taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly with salt and pepper.
To Serve
Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork rasher chunks and fry until golden and crispy, allowing the fat to render.
Ladle the hot soup into bowls and add a dollop of yoghurt. Add crispy rashers, fresh thyme, roasted pumpkin seeds and a crack of black pepper to each. Serve immediately.
