Serves 4-6 150g (6oz) Parmigiano-Reggiano, with rind 25g (1oz) butter 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks 900ml (1 ½ pt) hot vegetable stock 150ml (¼ pt) milk salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season 4-6 slices French bread fresh parsley or thyme, chopped to garnish
• Reserve the rind from the Parmigiano-Reggiano, cut into chunks, then finely grate the cheese. • Melt butter in a large saucepan, gently fry onion for about three minutes, until softened, but not browned. Add butternut squash, vegetable stock and Parmigiano-Reggiano rind. Heat until mixture is just simmering, then turn heat to low and cook gently for about 20 minutes, partially covered, until vegetables are soft and tender. • Remove rind from saucepan, transfer soup to blender or food processor and add most of the grated cheese, reserving about 25g (1oz) for garnishing. Blend soup for 15-20 seconds, until completely smooth. Return it to saucepan and add milk. Stir thoroughly and reheat until piping hot. Taste and adjust seasoning. • Meanwhile, toast slices of French bread, sprinkle remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano on top and grill until melted. Ladle soup into warmed bowls, then top each portion with one piece of French toast. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or thyme and a little extra ground black pepper, then serve. Cook’s tip: You’ll need roughly 500g (1lb 2oz) of butternut squash when peeled and deseeded. If you have any left over, simply roast it until tender to serve as a vegetable with another meal. To store the soup, cool it quickly, then refrigerate for up to three days, or freeze for up to three months. Recipe courtesy of the Parmigiano-Reggiano Consortium