eMom Recipe Wiki | Ottolenghi Simple Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (80g) raw pepitas/shelled pumpkin seeds
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small onions, sliced into 1-inch wedges
• 1 medium (approximately 2 pound) butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled, halved and seeds removed; cut into 1-inch cubes (I used butternut squash)
• 1 quart (4 c) vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)
• 2 tablespoons rose harissa, more or less to taste (I used 2 tbsp harissa but should have started with 1 tbsp)
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads (about 8 threads)
• 1 teaspoon orange zest (from 1 large orange)
• 3/4 cup (180g) crème fraiche (I used sour cream)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Increase oven temperature 425 degrees F.
• Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the crème fraiche.
• Blend until smooth using an immersion blender, or transfer the soup to a free-standing blender and blend in batches.
• Transfer to serving bowls. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and top with fresh coriander.
• This soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Store pumpkin seeds at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.