BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH THYME AND MUSTARD

It is time for a soup, the sunny days have changed into humid, drizzling grey that certainly doesn’t do any good for your mood. November is really a month when you feel the weight of everyday life, il solito tram-tram as they say here in Italy. Although I could say that about December and January too (even though December is lit up by Christmas celebrations) so let us blame it on the season instead. So what can be better to make a sunny soup instead? Butternut squash is so versatile but its sweet and sort of level flavour needs something to pep it up and I find adding mustard a very good way to do it. I add both yellow mustard seeds in the soup and then on serving, a dollop of thick yoghurt or crème fraîche with Dijon mustard and a little honey.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH THYME AND MUSTARD
2-3 servings

300 g/ 10,5 oz butternut squash, peeled and diced
150 g/ 5,3 oz potatoes, peeled and diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
800 ml/ 3,4 cups water
2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp thyme, dried
3 tblsp thick youghurt or crème fraîche
4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
salt
extra-virgin olive oil

- Gently fry shallots with thyme and mustard seeds for 3-4 minutes in some olive oil, then add squash and potatoes and go on cooking for another 4-5 minutes.
- Add salt and the water and let it simmer with half closed lid for 10-15 minutes, it depends on how big the vegetable dice are.
- While the soup simmers, mix yoghurt, honey and Dijon mustard really well. Taste it and add more mustard if you want.
- Run the soup in a blender until smooth and serve topped with a dollop of mustard yoghurt.

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