Turning of Seasons, and a Harvest Soup

 We’ve been so spoiled with a long, warm September and early October. It’s still crispy dry out here, but the turning of the leaves is absolutely stunning, even if it doesn’t automatically mean I’m finding shaggy make mushrooms. Our garden was afflicted by so much frost, but we’ve had generous neighbours and friends who have shared their bounty with us. Grouse and geese are plentiful this fall, and this past weekend we arm-wrestled the bears for the last of the rose hips (they got most of them).

No matter how late it might begin, the first crisp mornings always seem to sneak up on me. One day I’m gathering armfuls of herbs for the dehydrator, the next I’m reaching for my wool sweater and watching the steam rise from the kettle while frost coats the garage roof and mist drifts across the low spots. The dying plants echo in my heart with the mini-death I always feel when the growing season ends. It’s a letting go, getting quiet. Fall has a way of reminding us to slow down, to tuck away the last of summer’s bounty and turn it into comfort for the cold days ahead. There will be more gifted tomatoes to process, and then some wild meat- and then we will be into a new season. The pace shifts.  

This recipe was born out of that moment - when the garden still has life left in it, but the air calls for soup. A bowl full of autumn colour: golden squash, deep green kale, flecks of dried tomato, and the rich, savoury notes of Italian sausage. It’s hearty enough to stand alone, though a crusty slice of good bread for dipping never goes amiss.

Enjoy!

Golden Harvest Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  

  1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy, to taste)

• 1½ large yellow onions, finely diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• Pinch hot pepper flakes (optional)

• ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, minced

  4 cups cubed butternut squash

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 4 cups good stock, plus extra as needed

• 4 cups chopped kale (lightly packed, from about 1 small bunch)

• 1 cup cream

• 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar

• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage.
   In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Crumble in the sausage and cook until deeply browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.

2. Build the flavour base.
   Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent and soft—about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, paprika, thyme, oregano, and hot pepper flakes if using. Cook for another minute, until fragrant.

3. Add the vegetables.
   Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and the chopped squash. Season generously with salt and pepper, then pour in the stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the squash is tender—about 15 minutes.

4. Finish the soup.
   Add the kale and cook for 3–4 minutes, until wilted and tender. Return the cooked sausage to the pot. Stir in the cream and a splash of extra stock if the soup is too thick. Bring it just to a simmer, then stir in the apple cider vinegar to brighten the flavours.

5. Taste and serve.
   Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley and a grind of black pepper.

Serve with a thick slice of sourdough or a rustic Tuscan loaf for dunking. 

A Bowl of October

This soup tastes like the best of October: rich, golden, and full of everything we’ve gathered in before the frost. Around here, it’s the kind of meal that follows a day of stacking firewood, putting the garden boxes to bed, or walking through the woods with the leaves crunch underfoot.

Each spoonful is a reminder that the simplest ingredients grown with care, cooked with love - can be a feast.