Chocolate Zucchini Soup

• 1 large zucchini
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger
• 5 cloves garlic
• 5 cups vegetable broth (unsalted home made is best - use carrot, celery, broccoli stems, heavy chard stems -- all that stuff you trim and save for broth!)
• 1/4 tsp dried coriander
• 1/4 tsp dried mustard
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp powdered chocolate
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1tbsp butter
• 1tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp cooking wine
• 1/2 pint heavy cream

1. Heat broth in a sauce pan. In a skillet, saute garlic, sliced ginger, and sliced zucchini in peanut oil and butter. Flip/stir frequently. When vegetables are coated with oil and starting to cook splash with wine. Stop when edges of zucchini are browning and centers are getting translucent. Add coriander, mustard, cinnamon, chocolate, salt, then add two cups of the hot broth. Stir ingredients over heat for 3 min.
2. If you have a large blender, add all ingredients to this point plus carrot and thoroughly puree. (if you do not have a VitaMix blender, you might want to toss out the ginger before pureeing) Transfer to stock pot and add cream and honey. Heat to simmer, but do not boil. Serve.
3. To add hotter and brighter notes on the palate, add star anise and some hot pepper (in the fry pan)

zucchini, carrot, ginger, garlic, vegetable broth, coriander, mustard, cinnamon, powdered chocolate, salt, butter, peanut oil, honey, cooking wine, heavy cream

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/chocolate-zucchini-soup-1202503 (may not work)