aka Amber Fox Kitchen

Squash Cashew Soup

• 1 cup cashew pieces
• 2 tbsp butter or oil
• 1 medium onion
• thyme, black pepper, salt
• 1 flavourful squash, about 1 kg (2.2 lbs), peeled, seeded and sliced
• dried hot chilis if you want spicy soup
• enough stock or water to cover the squash three times over

1. toast the cashews, allow them to cool, and pound them to a coarse paste in a mortar and pestle - or - if you have access to an electric blender, blender them in some of the stock or water
2. fry the onion in the butter until it becomes transparent
3. add salt, black pepper and thyme to taste; if using chilis, add them now, ground or cut up; fry gently for a couple of minutes
4. add the squash and the stock (potato water is excellent here) or water, and boil gently until the squash begins to disintegrate
5. add the cashew paste and cook gently for another couple of minutes; correct seasoning
6. go at the soup with a potato masher or an electric blender; put it through a sieve if you want smooth soup, but it's nice a bit chunky, too

You can substitute peanut butter for the cashew paste. Corn kernels (added at the last minute) is also very pretty.