Recently, our youngest has also left home leaving only the two of us for dinner. But I still make too much food. And I still buy too much food. In my fridge is a butternut, far too big for two people. We have had roasted butternut, risotto with butternut, butternut soup…and I still have butternut left. I’ve pushed it right to the back in the fridge. I don’t want to see it. At least for a while.

Butternut soup with orange.

• 1 Tablespoon of organic coconut oil 
• About 500 g of butternut, peeled and cubed
• 1 big shallot
• 750 ml of vegetable broth, organic
• 350 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
• grated rind or one orange
• bouquet garni(parsley stems, thyme, bay leaves wrapped and tied in green part of leek)
• salt and pepper

1. Sauté the shallot in the coconut oil until tranclucent.
2. Add the butternut and sauté for a few minutes more.
3. Add the hot vegetable broth, the bouquet garni and the grated orange rind and let simmer gently for 30 minutes or until the butternut is very soft. Remove from the heat and remove the bouquet garni.
4. Puree with a handmixer until smooth. Place back on the heat and add the orange juice. Bring the soup to a simmer and season to taste. If you have some undesired orange pulp in your soup, you can mix it again to a smooth consistency.
5. Decorate with some orange slices or  a swirl of cream.
6. Serve warm with a hearty wholewheat bread.

                                                                                        Serves 4 as a main meal