Note to self: always pay attention when cooking. That will keep me from, for example. using black tahini in in the place of regular tahini and inadvertently turning what should have been a gorgeous, vibrant orange soup into a murky gray one. I quite liked the flavor, despite the color, but L. could not get past the gray - his favorite color for clothes and bedding but not for food apparently. I believe the term "sewer water" was used at one point during our exchange as to why he should at least try it. If he were still little, I would trot this soup out again for Halloween. Should you decide to make it, go for the regular colored tahini please!
1 2 lb butternut squash
1 cup of peeled and cooked chestnuts
2 Tbsps tahini
Juice and zest of 1 orange
1 Jalapeno pepper, setm removed
1 shallot, peeled and roughly diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1.2 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped (reserve 1 Tbsp and chop this finely)
4 cups water
1/2 cup cream
4 Tbsps sour cream
Salt to taste
Place the whole, washed butternut squash in the microwave for 5 to 8 minutes until slightly softened. This will make it easier for you to peel and chunk it once it is cool enough for you to handle.
Peel and cut into roughly 2 inch squares. Reserve one of the squares and place the rest in a large stock pot, along with the chestnuts, jalapeno, shallot, garlic, mint (minus the reserved tablespoon of it) and the water. Salt well as butternut squash amd chestnuts are both salt absorbers. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 12-15 minutes until the squash and chestnuts are fork tender.
While it is cooking, blitz the remaining square of butternut squash in the microwave for 90 seconds. Set aside to cool and then dice finely.
Remove from the heat and blitz with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the tahini, cream and orange zest and juice. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Serve the soup very hot, topped with a dollop of sour cream and some of the reserved mint and diced butternut squash. Imagine the image above with soup of the brightest orange you can imagine.
Inspiration recipe here. Sigh.