SQUASH SOUP WITH CARAMELIZED GINGER

SERVES 2 LARGE OR 4 SMALL PORTIONS

2 potatoes

1 onion

1 garlic clove

1 1/4 inch (3 cm) piece of fresh ginger

1 small Hokkaido squash, about 1 lb. 2 oz. (500 g) in total

oil, for frying

2 1/2 cups (600 ml) hot vegetable stock

1/2 cup (100 ml) coconut milk

1/2 tsp. sea salt

pinch of freshly ground black pepper

pinch of freshly ground nutmeg pinch of ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (40 g) brown sugar

2 tsp. vegan sour cream

3 tbsp. roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 305kcal
Fat: 18.7g (8.6g S.Fat)
Carbs: 34.1g
Protein: 3.6g
Sugar: 13.4g
Sodium: 256mg

METHOD

Peel and coarsely chop the potatoes, onion, garlic, and about one-third of the ginger. Remove the soft centre and seeds from the squash and cut it in half. Chop the squash coarsely, including the skin. In a pan, heat the oil and sauté all the chopped ingredients over medium heat. Pour in the stock and cook for about 10 minutes, or until everything is soft.

Using a handheld blender, purée the vegetable chunks in the soup. Stir in the coconut milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon and continue to cook for 5–10 minutes on low heat.

Meanwhile, melt the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat without stirring. Peel the remaining ginger, cut it into julienne strips, and caramelise them in the sugar. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Allow the soup to cool before chilling. Separately package the soup, ginger strips, sour cream, and parsley. To serve, briefly warm the soup, stir in a spoonful of sour cream, and top with parsley and ginger strips.