BACON AND BUTTERNUT SOUP
- 200 g rindless streaky bacon
- 1 kg butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
- 1 onion, sliced into half moons
- 30 ml olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 ml chilli flakes
- salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 15 ml butter
- 5 ml dried thyme
- 1 liter chicken stock
- 65 g Feta cheese, crumbled
- fresh chives, to garnish
- Spray-n-Cook
Preheat oven to 200°C and spray an oven baking tray with Spray-n-Cook.
Place butternut squash, onion and 6 rashers of bacon, cut in half, onto the baking tray.
Add olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Gently toss to combine.
Place into oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until butternut squash is tender.
Heat butter in a large pan over medium heat.
Chop the remaining bacon and fry until brown and crispy, about 6 – 8 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and set aside.
Heat a large pot over medium heat, add butternut mixture and thyme, and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, stir in chicken stock and adjust seasoning if needed.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 – 10 minutes.
If the soup is too thick, add more chicken stock until desired consistency is reached.
Remove pot from heat and allow soup to cool. Transfer butternut soup to a food processor and blend, in batches, until smooth and creamy.
Return blended soup to pot and keep warm to serve.
Serve butternut soup, garnished with crispy pieces of bacon, feta cheese and chives.
Photo: Melissa Ann Vermeulen
