Spiced butternut soup with cashew and basil pesto

Soup is another one of my go to foods in cold weather, I like to pimp mine up with all sorts of toppings, lentils,  roast chickpeas, nuts, seeds or in this case a simple basil and cashew pesto. I like my flavours big and bold and love using as much warming spice especially in winter.  At the moment Tumeric is my go to spice, I have turmeric  tea when I wake ( before a coffee) and then cook with it when I can. Tumeric acts as an anti inflammatory and is great to boost your immune system, great news at this time of year!! Also don't by pass sweating of your spices in butter, just make sure it's the highest quality you can afford, been an Irish girl I'm a fan of Kerrygold.   Ideally I'd use fresh tumeric as it impacts a much earthier flavour, but in this case I used dried and the results were 'bang tasty' according to my harshest critic. 

Spiced butternut soup, with cashew and basil pesto

1 large butternut squash

3 sweet potatoes

2 leeks, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced

3 cloves of garlic crushed

2 chillies chopped finely 

4 large vine tomatoes

2 tbsp of tomato purée

4 tsp of  cumin seeds

2 tsp of tumeric

1 tsp cinnamon

2tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper

Sea salt

Black pepper

3 tbsp of organic butter 

1.5 ltr of Chicken stock ( ideally home made) 

Basil and cashew pesto

A large handful of basil

1/2 a garlic clove crushed

1/2 a cup of Arbequina olive oil

3 tbsp of toasted unsalted cashews

Parmesan to taste 

Salt and pepper to season 

Garnish with....

Wilted spinach

Pommegranate seeds

Crumbled feta 

Toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds

Basil and cashew pesto 

1. Preheat your oven to 180oc, line a baking tray.

2. Peel the butternut squash and sweet potato and dice into 2cm cubes. Place in a large bowl and rub through some olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

3. Place on the baking tray and bake for around 50 mins or until soft.

4. At the same time you can roast your cashews until golden brown ( around 10 mins) 

5. Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and melt your butter, add the garlic and chilli. Sweat the chopped leek and carrot  for 5 minutes then add all the spices. Continue to cook till the spices become aromatic another 5 minutes. 

6. Add the tomato purée and quartered tomatoes, stir together and then cover with a lid, sweat on a low heat for 20 mins.

7. When the sweet potato and butternut squash is cooked add to the saucepan and cover with chicken stock. 

8. Blitz together using a blender until you have a silky smooth consistency, check for seasoning it should be warming and earthy. If your happy place in a saucepan and keep warm.

9. Finally for the pesto, in a blender place the basil, garlic, cashews and Parmesan, pour in half the olive oil. Turn on the blender and gradually pour in the remaining olive oil till you get the correct consistency ( it can be chunky or smooth depending on your tastes) Season with salt and pepper. 

10. Over a high heat wilt some spinach in a saucepan, season and add a squeeze of lemon juice. 

11. Finally to serve... Place your soup in bowls, add the wilted spinach, drizzle over the pesto and scatter over your remaining ingredients.