This soup is a spicy, flavorful twist on your average butternut squash soup. Make it when you’re craving something a little extra. Adapted from Yottam Ottolenghi.

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 550 g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 t saffron fronds
• 1 L chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 T harissa
• 1 t grated orange zest (use 2 t if you really want the orange flavor to come through)
• 6 T crème fraîche
• 1 T sunflower oil (or another neutral oil like canola)
• 60 g pumpkin seeds
• 1 T maple syrup
• ½ T soft brown sugar
• ½ t salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 big pinch cayenne pepper
• large handful cilantro, roughly chopped
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Combine pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, and pinches of black and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and brush with sunflower oil.
4. Spread pumpkin on tray and bake for 12-15 minutes, stirring a few times, until a nice, golden color. Set aside to cool.
5. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
6. Add onion and sauté for ~10 minutes until translucent and golden brown.
7. Add squash, carrot, saffron, harissa, and stock.
8. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
9. Simmer 15 minutes, until pumpkin and carrots are tender.
10. Add orange zest and simmer for five minutes longer.
11. When the vegetables are thoroughly cooked, blitz soup until smooth.
12. Stir in creme fraiche, then add extra water or stock to thin (if needed.)
13. Serve with a sprinkling of seeds and cilantro.