Pear Parsnip

Soup is about balance.  Because of this simple fact many soups can turn out lacking.  That is due mainly to the lack of balance in the soup.  Sweet and sour, salty and bitter, creamy and crunchy must all intermingle to create a harmonious whole. The key for me is taking away what is not necessary such that the base flavors strike chords and the supporting ingredients give the dish structure and a level integrtity.  Pears and parsnips, both cornerstones of fall, proved to be an incredible canvas for our chestnut-burnt sugar gnocchi.  The parsnips earthiness is piqued by the heady aroma of ripe pears.  The chestnut gnocchi add bitterness and a sense of umami while the shiso provides bright herbal tones and notes of aromatic spices.