Crown Prince Squash coconut soup with a spicy kick to make you beam!
The flavor of the Crown Prince Squash is rich, dense, with a mellow, sweet and nutty taste. If you can’t get hold of this squash, a butternut squash will work.
Serves Four
2kg of Crown Prince squash 
1 can coconut cream
2 pints of vegetable stock
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds or two pods
1 Jalapeño pepper sliced with ribs and seeds removed. *
1 large bunch of chard -washed and roughly sliced **
A dash of Good salt and cracked pepper
4 tablespoons creme fraiche or greek yogurt
A generous handful of detoxifying cilantro
* If looking for a little more heat try serrano pepper
or 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
** If you don’t have chard, try spinach or kale
~~~~~~
Start by removing the seeds from the Crown Prince Squash. Rinse and lay out in a single layer on a baking tree. Add a knob of coconut oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a low oven 160/140 fan for 5-10 minutes, turning regularly to coat the seeds in the coconut oil. When lightly ‘toasted’ leave to cool.
Turn the oven up to 200/180(fan) and lay the squash flesh side up rubbed with a little butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Roast for 50 minutes and remove from oven to cool.
Next, scoop the squash flesh from the skin into a large saucepan, add the can of coconut cream, and a little of the vegetable stock, and mash the squash into the liquid. Add the spices and season well. Turn the heat on and keep adding the stock until all the liquid has been combined. You should have a fairly smooth mixture. Bring gently to a boil, immediately turning down the heat and simmer for around 30 minutes. If adding chard or kale, add to the soup for the last 10 minutes. If you are using spinach, this can go in for the last couple of minutes.
Ladle into four serving bowls, add a spoonful of creme fraiche, top with cilantro and finish by sprinkling some toasted crown prince seeds on top.
DOPE Tip: Want to UP the JOY? Not everyone loves adding fruit to soups, but if you do and you like to vamp up the flavour, then you’ll find the tartness of apples will cut the nutty sweetness of the squash beautifully. Core and slice two apples and gently steam for a couple of minutes, layer onto the creme fraiche with the cilantro and seeds.
Angels dancing on the tongue!
Smile on 🙂
