SERVES 4-5
-2 garlic, outer papery skin removed;
-75ml/5tbsp olive oil;
-a few fresh thymes oil;
-1 large butternut squash, halved and seeded;
-2 onions, chopped;
-5ml/1 tsp ground coriander;
-1.2 litres/2 pints/5 cups vegetables or chickens stock;
-30-45/2-3 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or marjoram;
-sea salt and ground black pepper.
For the salsa
-4 large ripe tomatoes, halved and seeded;
-1 red (bell) pepper, halved and seeded;
-1 large fresh red chilli, halved and seeded;
-30-45/2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil;
-15ml/1tbsp balsamic vinegar.
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Place the garlic bulbs on a piece of foil and pour over half of the oil. Add the sprigs of thyme, then fold the foil around the garlic bulbs to enclose them completely.
2. Place the foil parcel on a baking sheet with the butternut squash and brush the squash with 15ml/1 tbsp of the remainig olive oil. Add the halved and seeded tomatoes, red pepper and fresh chilli for the salsa.
3. Roast the vegetables for 25 minutes, then remove the tomatoes, pepper and chilli. Reduce the temperature to 190C/375F/5Gas and cook the squash and garlic for 20-25 minutes more, until the squash is tender.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a large, heavy pan and cook the onions and ground coriander gently for about 10 minutes, or until softened.
5. Skin the pepper and chill and process in a food processor or blender with the tomatoes and 30ml/2tbsp olive oil. Stir the vinegar and seasoning to taste. Add the remaining oil if you think that the salsa needs it.
6. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its papery skin to the onions. Then, scoop the squash out of its skin and add it to the onions, garlic and coriander in then pan. Next, add the vegetables or chickens stock, 2.5 ml/1|2 tsp sal and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Stir in half the chopped fresh oregano or marjoram and allow the soup to cool slightly, then process it, in batches if necessary, in a food processor or blender until smooth. Alternatively, press the soup through a fine sieve (strainer).
8. Reheat the soup in a clean pan without allowing it to boil, the taste for seasoning before ladling in into individual warmed bowls. Top each with a spoonful of the tomato salsa and sprinkle over the remaining chopped fresh oregano or marjoram. Serve immediately.
Nutritional info per portion: Energy 120kcal/502 kj; Protein 5g; Carbohydrate 15.7g of which sugar 9.1g, Fat 4.6g of which saturate 0.8g, Cholesterol 0mg, Calcium 70mg, Fibre 4.6g, Sodium 9mg.