What You’ll Need

2 medium Butternut Squash (can substitute Pumpkin), peeled & cubed up

2 each Yellow Onions, peeled & chopped up

6 each Whole Garlic Cloves, peeled

½ cup Brown Sugar

½ cup Honey

4 sprigs Lavender

1.5 Quart Chicken Stock (use the bones of your roasted chicken)

2 cup Heavy Cream

What You’ll Do

Sautee onions & garlic in a little olive oil until tender, do not caramelize.

Add the butternut squash.

Add enough chicken stock to just cover the squash.

Add the brown sugar, honey, lavender.

Tie the lavender together with string for easy removal later.

Simmer until squash is tender.

Add the cream and simmer for 15 more minutes.

Remove the lavender and puree.

Pass the soup through a fine strainer.

Season with salt, pepper, and a little pickled ginger juice.

Ginger Crème Fraiche

1 cup Heavy Cream

¼ cup Sour Cream

1 tablespoon Pickled Ginger, chopped

1 tablespoon Pickled Ginger Juice

To taste Salt & Pepper

Combine all ingredients & adjust the taste. This can be done a day ahead of time.

Pickled Ginger

½ pound Ginger, peeled & thinly sliced

2 cups  Sugar

2 cups Rice wine vinegar

Put the sugar & vinegar in a pot and bring to a boil.

Turn it down to medium heat & add the ginger simmer for 10 minutes, cool & refrigerate.