Pears are in season and it has finally cooled down enough to start enjoying soup. This recipe was adapted from Mustard’s Grill in Napa Valley, one of my very favorite restaurants. Choose organic pears for more flavor as well as nutritional purposes. They are plentiful in markets now and this soup makes a lovely first course or a lunch dish when served with a salad. Serves 6
2 tbls. extra virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks
1 large carrot
1 lb. rutabaga, diced
½ lb pears, peeled, cored and chopped
1 tbls. fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 whole clove
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 cup white wine
6 cups chicken stock, homemade preferred
salt & pepper
½ cup crème fraiche
roasted almonds
Heat the oil over med-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until soft. Add the celery, carrot, rutabagas, pears, thyme, bay leaf, clove and cinnamon and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook until all the liquid has cooked away. Add the stock and return the soup to a boil. Season with the salt and pepper as needed. Lower the heat to a simmer and skim any froth that comes to the surface. Cook for about 12-15 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and discard. You can either puree the soup or leave it chunky. Add cream after removing from the heat. Garnish with almonds and chives and serve.
