Autumn Antiquity Soup

Autumn Antiquity Soup…

…is a soup where spelt is the star – along with chestnuts, tomatoes, pancetta, onion, beef broth, parsley and thyme. It is a perfect Autumn soup, a transition soup, with deep earthy flavors and rich colors, yet the broth is not heavy at all, saving those really hearty soups for the colder weather months ahead. The soup is brightened with a dollop of tangy non-fat Greek yogurt and a drizzle of fruity olive oil.

Spelt Berries – Whole Kernels of Grain

Spelt is the grain from antiquity, the non-hybrid primitive relative of our present day wheat dating back more than 9000 years with a nutty flavor and an intriguing chewy texture.

Antiquity Soup Recipe

Soak 1 c. spelt berries in cold water for one hour. Drain.

Dice one quarter pound of pancetta, dice one medium onion, mince 2 garlic cloves.

Sauté pancetta in a soup pot with a bit of olive oil, add onion and  garlic,
cook until the onion is translucent.

Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients:

Peel tomatoes: With a paring knife, cut an “X” into the bottom of two tomatoes. Submerge in boiling water for 30 seconds, then submerge in ice water for 30 seconds. The tomato will be cool enough to handle and the skin will slide right off. Chop the tomatoes. I used organic tomatoes-on-the-vine from Mexico, but canned peeled and diced tomatoes are fine in this recipe too, just drain the juice before adding the tomatoes to the soup.

Chop peeled & cooked chestnuts.

Chop  1 T. parsley and 1 t. thyme.

When the onion pancetta mixture is cooked,
add pre-soaked spelt berries to the pot and stir to coat the grains.
Add 5 c. rich beef broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add tomatoes, chestnuts, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper.

Simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
The spelt should be chewy yet tender. Adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls.


Garnish with non-fat Greek yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil, parsley and thyme sprigs.

Nutty, chewy, earthy, satisfying, with a range of flavors and textures – this unique soup has an irresistible appeal.

PROJECT FOOD BLOG UPDATE


My Project Food Blog Challenge #7: Video 411 is now posted here!

11 thoughts on “Autumn Antiquity Soup”

  1. This is gorgeous. I love chestnuts and just don’t use them enough. Basically, we just get them fresh and roast them to eat after holiday dinners. I’m happy to see that cooked, pealed and vacuum packed package. I’m going to google it.

    Looking forward to your video.

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