Creamy Butternut, Peanut Noodle Soup

This is just the sort of food I crave in October. Warming and comforting with a good dose of zing. Best of all its made in one pot! I have a few Le Cresuet UK casserole dishes (I love their sturdiness and versatility) but love to make this in their shallow casserole dish (it’s very useful for risottos, curries and stir fries too). This butternut noodle soup is often Friday nights supper when we fancy something a little special without too much effort but it makes for a wonderful dinner party dish too. I love to bring the whole casserole dish from the hob to the table and allow everyone to help themselves. Ps. The colour I have is bamboo green. I love it!

INGREDIENTS

| Serves 2-4 |

450g chopped butternut squash
Olive oil
2 tbs sesame oil
3 spring onions chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
thumb sized ginger, grated
2tbsp gochujang chilli paste
500ml chicken or vegetable stock (or x2 stock cubes dissolved in water)
2tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp dark miso paste
1 can coconut milk
200g tender-stem broccoli
2 heads of pak choi
Juice of 1/2 lime
chopped coriander
fresh peanuts
sesame seeds
lime

METHOD

Heat a glug of olive oil in your casserole dish and add the butternut squash. Fry for about 10 mins until it is golden brown and partially cooked. Transfer to a plate.
In the same pan add the sesame oil, spring onion, garlic, ginger and cook for one minute.
Add the chilli and miso paste and stir until incorporated.
Then add the stock, peanut butter and coconut milk. Bring to the boil and stir to break up peanut butter.
Stir in the butternut squash and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 7 mins or until the squash has cooked. Test it with a fork. It should be soft but retain some bite.
Chop any very large or long florets of broccoli in half and halve the pak choi.
Then add the broccoli and pak choi to the soup, return the lid for a further 3-5 mins.
Cook rice noodles for 3/4s of the allotted time on packet instructions. This ensures they don’t go mushy as they will continue to cook in the soup. Rinse, drain and stir into the soup until cooked through.
Add the juice of half a lime. Taste for seasoning adding more lime if needed.
Arrange the noodles into bowls using tongs and ladle over extra broth.
Garnish the butternut noodle soup with peanuts, fresh coriander and fresh lime.

If you are looking for more one pot recipes try this chicken cacciatore or this peanut mung dal.