Butternut-Chestnut Panchetta-Bacon Soup

Find a local pumpkin patch here!

Butternut-Chestnut Panchetta-Bacon Soup

This is a wonderful Autumn soup combining the flavors of the season; pumpkin, chestnuts iand ham, bacon or panchetta is a warming Fall soup! You can make it as spicy, hot or mild as you like!

Ingredients

1 and a half Tablespoons olive oil
3.5 ounces (100g) sliced pancetta, chopped (that's about 5 slices) (Panchetta is Italian bacon. You can use whatever you have; bacon, Canadian bacon, ham, etc.)
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 long red chili pepeprs, deseeded and chopped (depends how spicy or hot you like it)
1 lb (500g) cooked and peeled chestnuts
1.5 lbs (750g) peeled and chopped pie pump[kin or butternut squash - you can usually but the butternut squash already peeled and prepared in the vegetable section of the grocery store.
5 cups (1.25 liters) chicken stock (I use non-fat, low sodium)
Reduced fat sour cream and extra sliced long red chili peppers, as a garnish

Directions

Step - Brown the panchetta, ham or bacon

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes or until crispy. Transfer to a plate. Set aside.

Step 2 - Stir fry the veggies

Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoons oil in the pan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and chillies and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes until softened.

Step 3 - Add the chestnuts and pumpkin

Add chestnuts and pumpkin pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Step 4 - Add the chicken stock and panchetta

Stir in stock and three-quarters of the pancetta. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until pumpkin and chestnuts are tender.