The harvest.
Hopes fulfilled. Dreams realized.
A time to celebrate and share a bounty with family, friends, and neighbors, that was hard-earned.
A time to cook, and for canning what you want to preserve for the winter ahead.
Our harvest can be from our orchards, vegetable patches, or vineyards. But it can also be the lessons we learn in life as we contemplate our actions and reactions. We reap as we sow, harvesting in our later years the seeds we plant and nurture in our youth and middle age. This is true whether we’re talking about health, relationships, or the work we pursue. In all the busyness (and business) of life, what are you investing your time and energy in? What are you nurturing? What are you harvesting?
As we transition fully into fall and leave the sizzling summer heat behind, this soup celebrates the farmhouse harvest by combining late season tomatoes with glorious autumnal butternut squash, carrots, and greens. The acidity of the tomatoes brightens the soup; so if you don’t see any at your market, get some good canned ones to throw in.
There’s spice in the soup with the Serrano pepper and harissa, but it’s not a spicy soup. The spice just sharpens the flavors a bit; so don’t shy away from these ingredients. If you don’t have any harissa, just throw in additional minced Serrano and red chili peppers to taste.
This is a hearty vegetable packed soup with white beans and chicken that will keep you warm; filling enough to be served for either dinner or a satisfying lunch along with a hunk of bread slathered with butter as you relax by the fire and contemplate your personal harvest.
Farmhouse Harvest Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large leek, sliced (about 1 3/4 cups)
- 1 onion, finely chopped (1 ½ cups)
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 2 cups chopped celery (3 – 4 stalks)
- 2 cups chopped butternut squash
- 1 Serrano pepper, minced (1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt (Kosher)
- 10 twists of freshly ground pepper
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 chunks of the rind of Parmesan cheese
- 3 cups cooked white beans
- 1 1/2 cups roasted chicken
- 5 tablespoons harissa
- 1 bunch spinach, stemmed
- 4 large tomatoes, a mix of red and yellow
Instructions
In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté the leek, onion, carrot, celery, squash, and pepper in the olive oil until the squash begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir the vegetables fairly often, but allow a nice fond to develop on the bottom of the pan. The term fond is typically applied to browning meat in a pan, but I’m referring here to the brown residue from the vegetables that is deposited on the bottom of the pan. This is a fantastic building block of flavor to anything, and is a key component to developing a rich vegetable flavor in this soup.
Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Sauté another 5 minutes until fragrant.
Add the vegetable broth and Parmesan cheese rind. This is a wonderful use for the rind, as it adds just a hint of a cheese flavor. Simmer for 10 minutes to concentrate the flavors a bit.
Add the beans, cooked chicken, and harissa. I just buy one half of a pre-roasted chicken at the market for this, and shred the meat of one breast. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Roast the tomatoes at 425 degrees F and remove the peel. Coarsely chop and add to the soup along with the spinach leaves. Alternatively, the tomatoes can be dropped into boiling water for 10 seconds and then peeled.
Using an immersible blender, whirl the soup for about 15 seconds to puree a little of the soup. Alternatively, remove 2 cups of the soup from the pot, throw it in a blender, and stir it back into the soup.
Serve hot with a shaving of parmesan cheese on top, along with a hunk of bread slathered with butter.
I’m so happy for your harvest results, fantastic
This soup is simply stunning!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Choc Chip Uru recently posted..Winner Announced!!!
Thanks CCU. Unfortunately these beauties didn’t come from any garden I’ve ever had
Thank goodness for farmer’s markets…
The Wimpy Vegetarian recently posted..Farmhouse Harvest Soup with White Beans
Breathtakingly beautiful and a wonderful hearty soup, Your photo is as good if not better than any from the professionals. Just beautiful and that soup sounds amazing.
apuginthekitchen recently posted..My Meatloaf is a Whole Foods Finalist!!
Oh Suzanne, thanks so much. I want to get a wooden panel made and paint it, but just haven’t run across any wood. It’s what I really would like to use as a background, but I think I’ll just have to go to home depot and buy some wood. The soup however, I must admit, is really good. I started making it last year and finally perfected it this past week
The Wimpy Vegetarian recently posted..Farmhouse Harvest Soup with White Beans
Look at all those beautiful ingredients! This is a wonderful soup, Susan!
Lyn @LovelyPantry recently posted..Honey Cornbread Gruyère Muffins for #MuffinMonday
Thanks so much Lyn!!! I made cornbread today and it didn’t work out so great. I should have made yours!! It looks so good
The Wimpy Vegetarian recently posted..Farmhouse Harvest Soup with White Beans
This is definitely a fall harvest soup! WOW! What a hearty bowl of deliciousness and so healthy!
mjskit recently posted..Black Bean and Shiitake Enchiladas and Giveaway
Thanks so much MJ! We just had another bowl of it for dinner tonight
The Wimpy Vegetarian recently posted..Farmhouse Harvest Soup with White Beans
What a beautifully hearty soup! I love all the veggies. I have a bottle of harissa in the frig that I forget to use all the time. You’ve inspired me to make better use of it.
Kristi Rimkus recently posted..Creamy Soups Don’t Have to be Loaded with Calories – Cream of Broccoli Soup with Bacon
I love when it is soup season, there are so many gorgeous recipes to enjoy! Your recipe sounds wonderful, love your addition of harissa, sounds fantastic! Hugs, Terra