Sunday, 1st January 2012 – Recipes (Chestnut and Carrot Soup)

Chestnut and Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

• 900 g chopped carrots
• 300 g chestnuts, cooked and peeled
• 1 tin chestnut puree
• 6 sprigs flat leaf parsley
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 0.5 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 chopped onions
• 6 sticks celery, sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 200 mls pouring cream (optional)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1.5 litres chicken stock

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter and oil in a pan over a medium high heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, thyme, parsley and bay leaf and stir for 4 or 5 minutes. Add the stock, ginger, chestnuts, chestnut puree, salt and pepper, cover and simmer until the carrots are tender. This will take about 20 – 30 minutes.
2. Remove the herbs. Process the vegetables and stock in a blender until smooth then put it back in the pan. Add the cream and warm through without boiling.
3. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls, and sprinkle some parsley on the top.