Bacon and butternut squash soup recipe

• 1 sufficient quantity vegetable oil to deep-fry in
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• 6 rashers of bacon, coarsely chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 680 g (24oz) butternut squash, chopped into 2.5cm cubes
• 1 l (1.8pints) chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 0.25 tsp grated nutmeg
• 35 g (1.2oz) roasted, salted pumpkin seeds

1. For the fried sage leaves: heat the oil in a saucepan to 180C.
2. Deep-fry the sage leaves until they are crisp, about 10 seconds.
3. Transfer to kitchen paper.
4. Now move on to the soup.
5. Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over a medium heat until almost crisp, about 6 minutes.
6. Transfer to kitchen paper, reserving the rendered bacon fat in the pan.
7. Cook the carrots, shallots and garlic in the reserved bacon fat until soft and golden, about 5 minutes.
8. Stir in the salt and pepper.
9. Add the chopped herbs, bay leaf, cubed squash, stock and half the cooked bacon to the soup pan.
10. Bring the soup to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, 2025 minutes.
11. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
12. Blend the soup to a smooth puree with a hand-held electric blender or in batches in a traditional blender.
13. Season with vinegar and nutmeg.
14. Keep the soup warm until it is ready to serve.
15. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and garnish with the reserved bacon, roasted pumpkin seeds and the fried sage leaves.

vegetable oil, sage, rashers, carrots, shallots, garlic, salt, ground black pepper, fresh sage, thyme, bay leaf, butternut squash, l, apple cider vinegar, nutmeg, pumpkin seeds

Taken from www.lovefood.com/guide/recipes/45404/bacon-and-butternut-squash-soup-recipe (may not work)