Ingredients

• 1.8kg/4lb wedges of butternut squash
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 whole
• unpeeled and 2 finely chopped
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 onions
• finely chopped
• 2 carrots
• finely sliced
• 2 sticks celery
• finely sliced
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped sage
• 2 litres/3½ pints hot vegetable stock
• 1 bunch flatleaf parsley
• roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• crushed
• 30g/1oz parmesan
• finely grated
• 100ml/3½fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice
• to taste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 9.
• Cut the butternut squash (including skin) into 7cm/3in wedges and scoop out the seeds using a large spoon. Brush the wedges with 1 tbsp olive oil
• place in a roasting tray and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes or until soft and caramelised.
• After 25 minutes of cooking
• add the unpeeled garlic and the sprigs of thyme.
• Meanwhile
• heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions
• carrots
• celery
• sage and remaining garlic and cook gently for 10-15 minutes until soft but not brown.
• Pour the stock into the vegetables
• bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
• Allow the squash to cool for 5 minutes when cooked. Using a large spoon remove the flesh from the skin and add to the stock. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skin into the stock and discard the thyme.
• Simmer the stock and vegetables for a further 5 minutes or until the squash is beginning to break up.
• Place the soup in a blender and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and gently reheat. Check seasoning.
• For the parsley purée
• place the chopped parsley into a food processor with the garlic and parmesan. Process until smooth. With the motor still running
• slowly add the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a spoonful of the parsley purée. Serve immediately with crusty bread.