I... mostly followed the recipe for this one. Kind of. Pretty much.

We didn't have any pancetta, so I tossed in an old Parmesan rind instead to help infuse it with some tasty, salty, umami. Instead of chives, I topped it with toasted pumpkin seeds and fried capers. And, now that I'm looking at the recipe again, I'm realizing that I think I forgot to add the vinegar too. That wasn't an intentional change. I just forgot. Oh, and I ended up bumping up the garlic a bit and using mirepoix instead of just onion and celery as suggested. And I guess my bell pepper to squash ratio was probably a bit different too. But really it's still pretty much almost the same recipe at heart. Nearly.

Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup

Adapted from Cook's Country October/November 2019

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 good-sized (~4cm x 8cm) Parmesan rind
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. peppercorns, ground
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne
• ~450g roasted butternut squash flesh
• 2 c. chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 Tbsp. sherry or white wine vinegar
• 3-4 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 1-2 Tbsp. capers, fried
• 2-3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add bell pepper, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and Parmesan rind and cook for ~5 minutes.
3. Add thyme, pepper, and cayenne and cook for another minute or two.
4. Add squash and stir in stock.
5. Bring to a boil and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.
6. Puree soup. (A conventional or an immersion blender works well for this.)
7. Stir in vinegar.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds, fried capers, and grated Parmesan as desired.