Butternut Squash Soup with Croissant Croutons

Heat the oven to 180°C fan and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat then add in the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 mins until fragrant and translucent. Stir in the miso paste and continue cooking until it’s nicely incorporated.

Carefully peel, deseed and chop the squash. Add it to the pot, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and continue sautéing for 5 mins.

Pour in ½ the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-30 mins until the squash is soft.

Meanwhile, prepare your croutons. Slice the croissant into 1cm thick slices. Finely grate the Parmesan into a bowl then sprinkle a little over each slice. Drizzle the croutons with a little olive oil.

Bake in the oven for about 10 mins until golden and crunchy.

To finish off the soup, transfer the soup from the pot to a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth. Add more of the remaining stock if necessary until you reach your desired consistency. Season with salt and black pepper to taste then divide between bowls. Serve topped with a few croissant croutons and a sprinkling of dried flowers, if using.