Butternut Squash Soup & Cheese Toasties

For the grilled cheese

• 4 slices St Pierre Brioche Loaf
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 large handfuls grated cheese

For the soup

• 1 butternut squash (about 1.5kg)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled and smashed
• Few sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1000ml vegetable stock/bouillon (made with stock/bouillon powder or cube)
• 4 tbsp light cream
• Few extra thyme leaves for garnish
• Crushed chili flakes

1. First make the soup. Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas Mark 5
2. Peel, then halve the butternut squash and scoop out the seeds
3. Wash the seeds, dry on kitchen paper then tip onto a baking tray. Drizzle very sparingly with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika
4. Chop the butternut squash flesh into roughly 1 inch chunks and tip onto another baking tray
5. Add the smashed garlic and a few whole sprigs of thyme
6. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper
7. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes at the same time as the squash seeds
8. When the seeds are toasted and crispy, remove them and set aside
9. Take the tray of squash out of the oven and add the onion, carrot and celery to the tray and stir. Add a little more olive oil if required
10. Return to the oven and roast for 30 minutes or until tender and golden
11. Meanwhile, prepare the grilled cheese toasties. Mix together the softened butter, crushed garlic and parsley then spread over one side of each slice of brioche loaf. Turn two slices over and divide the cheese between them
12. Top each with another slice of bread, garlic buttered side on the outside (so you have two toasties with garlic butter spread on the outsides). Set the toasties aside
13. Discard the thyme sprigs and skins from the garlic (but leave the roasted garlic flesh) then tip all the vegetables into a large saucepan
14. Pour over the stock and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream
15. Use a liquidiser or stick blender to whizz the soup until smooth (of leave a few chunks if you prefer!). Keep warm but don’t re-boil
16. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the toasties
17. Cook for a couple of minutes then carefully turn over and cook the other sides until golden and the cheese has melted
18. Serve the soup with a swirl of cream, sprinkling of chili flakes and a few thyme leaves
19. Scatter over some toasted squash seeds for crunch!
20. Cut the grilled cheese toasties in half and serve alongside the soup for dipping in

The taste of grilled toasties dipped into the butternut soup is unreal. Bon appétit!