Oh it’s been so long since I have been here. It has been an interesting year and I feel the need to nourish those I love.
This warming and delicious soup is just the thing to do that.

Autumn Harvest Soup

• 1/2 cup diced pancetta
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 med shallots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
• large pinch fine sea salt
• a few grindings of fresh black tellicherry peppercorns
• pinch of Hunter’s Moon spice blend (recipe follows) or any Smoky Spice blend you like
• 1 oz character sherry
• 2-1/2 cups roasted butternut squash, Split and seed and brush with olive oil, bake at 350F until tender and scoop the flesh from the skin, or if you’d rather, peel and cube and roast and cool a bit.
• 1 can white kidney or cannellini beans, drained
• 1 quart chicken stock
• small bunch of Swiss chard, washed and stems removed
• small bunch of Lacinato Kale, washed and stems, removed
• 1/2 cup Mornay sauce made with parmesan cheese (recipe at link substitute Parmesan for Manchego)
• 1/2 cup Blue Diamond smokehouse almonds, chopped, for garnish
• parmesan cheese, for garnish
• Croutons, for garnish (recipe at link)

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, render the pancetta until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate and keep warm in the oven. Pour out and reserve all but two tablespoons of the fat from the pan and then add the onions and shallots. Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 more minutes. Remove the onion mixture to a bowl and keep warm. Add a bit of pancetta fat back to the pan if needed and add the mushrooms and salt and pepper and spice. Cook, stirring frequently until they release their juices and brown slightly. Add the sherry and the onions back in and stir to combine. Add the butternut squash, beans, and chicken stock and heat to a simmer. Add the greens and cook covered until they are softened. Add the Mornay sauce and warm through. Garnish with smoked almonds, parmesan, croutons and the reserved pancetta.

This is a soup that gets better every day you have it for leftovers. A bowl or mug and some crusty bread and you’re set.

Hunter’s Moon Spice Mix

• 2 T dehydrated onion powder
• 2 T dehydrated garlic powder
• 2 T dried shallots
• 1/2 tsp sumac
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 T dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp smoky mequite bbq seasoning
• 1 tsp mrs. dash salt free blend 
• 1/2 tsp Mural of Flavor salt free (Penzeys)
• 1 tsp cacao nibs
• 1/2 tsp rosehip powder
• 1/4 tsp dried Persian lemon
• 1/4 tsp galangal root
• 2 T Himalayan pink salt
• 2 T smoky Paprika

Mix all together in a bowl and then store in an airtight glass container.

I hope you enjoy. I’m off to make wedding cakes for my son’s wedding this week.
xoxo