Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

1 tbsp oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1kg butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 3cm chunks
2 tbsp curry powder
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 eating apples, peeled, cored and thickly sliced
1 litre chicken stock made with 2 low sodium stock cubes
1 bay leaf
200ml apple juice (preferably pressed or cloudy)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Having now eaten this I would say 2 tbsp curry powder is too much for my taste, so adjust accordingly depending on how spicy you like things.

Heat the oil in a large non stick saucepan, add the onions and cover with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes, over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

Add the squash, cover the pan again and cook for another 5 minutes, until the squash is starting to soften.

Add curry powder, garlic and apples, and cook for 1 minute before adding the stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes until the squash is very soft, stirring occasionally.

Remove pan from the heat, season with salt and pepper and blitz with a stick blender.

Stir the apple juice into the soup to thin it out, adjust the seasoning and reheat gently.

Serving Size: Makes 6 1 1/2 cup servings