SPAM® Winter Warmer Soup

Ingredients

• 1 can of SPAM® Bacon 340g, cut into 1cm cubes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium leeks, trimmed, washed and roughly chopped
• 1 large baking potato
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 1 medium pumpkin or good sized butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 4cm chunks
• 1 x 400 ml tin coconut milk (plus 400ml water)
• 1 lemongrass (optional)
• 1 level teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley to garnish

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil with the salt and some freshly ground black pepper
2. Add the leeks and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat, stirring constantly
3. Add the garlic and pumpkin/squash and continue to cook for 10 minutes to give everything a bit of colour
4. Add the coconut milk, refilling the tin with water and add to the pan. There should be enough liquid to cover the vegetables
5. Place the lemongrass on a board and crush with the flat end of a cleaver or knife, and add to the soup
6. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the pumpkin/squash is mushy
7. Meanwhile heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan and fry the cubed SPAM® with Bacon for approximately 5 minutes until beginning to crisp. Drain on absorbent paper
8. Remove the lemongrass from the soup
9. Blend the soup until smooth (if too thick add a little more water)
10. Return soup to the saucepan, check the seasoning and add the cooked diced SPAM® cubes
11. Pour into warm soup bowls garnished with fresh parsley. Serve with warm crusty bread