Served in miniature pumpkins makes for a festive table! To do so, remove tops from 10 miniature pumpkins and save. With a small spoon, scrape out the inner pulp and seeds. In each pumpkin place a small piece of butter (about 1/2 tablespoon) and season with Sea Star™ sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast the pumpkins in a 350° F. oven for 20-30 minutes until tender but not browned. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. When ready to serve soup, reheat in a hot oven until warmed throughout.

Soup Ingredients:
1-1/2 Cups Chardonnay
6 Tbsp. Butter, unsalted
2 Large sweet white onions, chopped
3 Large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 Pounds fresh pumpkin, chopped
6-8 Cups rich chicken stock, unsalted
2-3 Cups whipping cream to taste
3-4 Tbsp. fresh lemon zest
Sea Star™ sea salt, crushed
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Garnish Ingredients:
2 Cups Pecan halves
1 Bunch basil
1/8 C extra virgin olive oil
Sea Star™ sea salt to taste
1/2 pound slab smoked bacon (optional)

Prepare Soup:
Heat a large pot over medium flame. Add the Chardonnay and butter and whisk until melted. Add white onion, potato, chopped pumpkin and the chicken stock, then continue to cook for about 40 minutes. Puree soup and pass through a fine sieve. Add the lemon zest to taste, then the cream to taste. Season with Sea Star™ sea salt and ground pepper. If the soup is too thick add a bit more chicken stock or cream.

Prepare Garnish:
Cut the slab bacon into thick slices, then slice into thin lardons. Sauté quickly in a hot sauté pan, then drain well on a kitchen towel. Roughly chop the pecan halves. Finely chop the basil. Toss pecans, basil olive oil and a little sea salt together to get nuts evenly coated. Place pecans on sheet pan and bake in a 300° F oven until golden and crispy, then remove from oven and season lightly with Sea Star™ sea salt while still warm.

To Finish:
Place the pumpkins in a hot oven to warm throughout. Bring soup almost to a boil just prior to serving. Stir the bacon into the soup. Ladle the soup into the hot pumpkins. Garnish each pumpkin with the basil pecans. Serve hot and enjoy with a glass of your favorite Chardonnay. Enjoy!