Meatless Monday – Roast butternut soup

Serves 4

You’ll need:

For the soup – 1kg McCain Butternut Chunks (defrosted); 30ml cooking oil; salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste); 2 cloves garlic (crushed); 2cm piece ginger (finely chopped); 1 large onion (chopped); 2ml ground cinnamon; 750ml vegetable stock; 60ml cream.

For the dumplings: 300g potatoes (washed); 150g McCain Chopped Spinach (defrosted); 30ml cake flour; 30ml semolina; 30ml dried bread crumbs; 1 egg (lightly beaten); 1ml ground nutmeg; 125ml vegetable stock; 20g butter; salt and freshly ground black pepper (to season); 60g pistachio nuts (chopped for serving)

How to:

For the soup:

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Place the butternut chunks onto a roasting tray, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper and roast for 45 minutes to an hour.

In a large saucepan, sauté the garlic and onion over medium heat until soft and aromatic.

Add the roasted butternut chunks as well as the stock and cinnamon, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Use a stick blender and pulse until velvety smooth, keep over low heat. Stir in cream before serving.

For the dumplings:

Preheat oven to 200°C

Place the potatoes in a roasting tray bake for 45 minutes, until soft.

Remove potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.

Scoop the flesh out of the potatoes into a large bowl with a spoon before mashing with a fork. Now add the flour, semolina, breadcrumbs and egg and mix well before adding the chopped spinach and nutmeg.

Stir to combine, roll into 12x 30ml dumplings, place them on a tray with flour.

Heat a large frying pan with the vegetable stock and butter, allow to simmer before adding dumplings. Cover with aluminium foil and cook for 15 minutes.

Serve with butternut soup, garnished with pistachio nuts.

Hints and tips:

• Once the soup is blended, stir through 250g McCain Cut Corn and a cooked, shredded chicken breast for added protein.
• Fry the garlic and onions with 15ml of mild curry powder when making the soup for a mild aromatic soup.
• Add the zest and juice of half an orange just before serving for a citrus note.

For more recipe inspiration visit mccain.co.za/sa-foodservice/menu-inspirations/