Roast squash & chilli soup with Gruyère toasts

Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Drizzle 1 tbsp oil across the base of a large roasting tin, then add the onions, cut-sides down. Toss the whole red peppers and pumpkin or squash wedges in 1 tbsp oil and add to the tin, spacing out in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes, then add the whole red chillies and unpeeled garlic cloves, turning the squash and peppers, too. Roast for 20 minutes more, until the vegetables are soft and slightly charred.

Cover the roasted vegetables with foil or a baking sheet and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the stock. Peel the skins from the peppers and discard the stalks and seeds. Remove and discard the stalks from the chillies, along with the skins, plus the skins from the garlic cloves and halved onions. Scoop the flesh from the pumpkin or squash to remove the skins; discard the skins. Transfer the peeled vegetables and any juices in the roasting tin to a blender with the hot vegetable stock and blend until buttery smooth. Season, then transfer to a saucepan and reheat gently over a low heat,stirring. This is quite a thick soup.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high and lightly oil a baking tray with the remaining ½ tsp oil. Space the baguette slices out on the tray and grill for 2 minutes before flipping over. Divide the grated Gruyère and thyme leaves between the untoasted sides of the bread. Season with black pepper, then grill for 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is bubbling. Divide the soup between warm serving bowls and immediately top with the cheese toasts and any thyme leaves from the grill pan.