I’m infatuated with Mexican food; its flavours captivate my palate to such a degree that I consider it the best cuisine on the planet. I’ve spent much of the last year collecting ingredients and throwing challenging and time-consuming dinner parties in honour of my culinary crush. It was following one of said dinner parties that I threw together this soup…

 

A nightmare for overestimating, I ended up with half a fridge full of leftover ingredients with which I created this delicious recipe. I’ve tweaked it a little since its initial invention to get the complex flavour balance just right – spicy, creamy and tangy now all get along superbly.

 

I can’t get enough of spicy soups during colder climes; they’re warming and nourishing without being too heavy, administering the perfect antidote against the festive assault on our digestive systems. This one is satisfyingly thick and bursting with the kind of goodness our bodies crave during the hibernal season: Tomatoes, squash and jalepeños contain potent antioxidants such as vitamin C to help fight off the infections that like to circulate during chillier months; garlic, a natural immune booster assists with this task; avocado is a great plant source of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids and a squeeze of fresh lime juice adds a detoxifying boost.

 

 

MEXICAN SQUASH SOUP:

Gluten free – Dairy free – Refined sugar free – Vegan

Serves: 4-6

 

Ingredients:

1 small butternut squash: peeled, deseeded and chopped into cubes

4 vine tomatoes, quartered

2 red onions, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons of coconut oil, melted, at room temperature*

1.5 tablespoons of cumin

1.5 tablespoons of cinnamon

Teaspoon of salt

Black pepper

2 fresh jalepeños (or green chillies if you cannot get hold of them), deseeded and diced

Teaspoon of red chilli flakes

Flesh of 1 avocado

Large handful of coriander leaves

700ml vegetable stock

1-2 limes, quartered

 

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees centigrade

Mix together the coconut oil, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper

Toss the prepared squash, tomato, red onion and garlic in the mixture until evenly coated

 

Roast the marinated vegetables and garlic on a baking tray for 30-35 minutes in your preheated oven

When they are cool enough, remove the skins from the tomatoes

Prepare 700ml of vegetable stock

Blend the roasted vegetables and garlic with the stock and the remaining cold ingredients in a blender or food processor, reserving a few coriander leaves to garnish the soup upon serving

Add a little more stock if you would like your soup less thick

Taste and add extra chilli, salt or pepper if desired

Transfer your soup into a large pan and warm through over a medium heat

When it’s warmed through, ladle into bowls and serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander and a slice of fresh lime.

Instruct your fellow diners to squeeze a little lime juice onto their soup before tucking in

*To melt your coconut oil so that it forms a liquid consistency simply fill a saucepan with warm water then place your jar of coconut oil into the saucepan. It will begin to melt after a few minutes.