Now that chestnuts are in season, I’m finding ways to use them, particularly because they so versatile and can be made in both sweet and savoury dishes. They require a little more preparation, but preparing them brings in a mindfulness practice.
This soup has subtle flavours, further enhanced by herbs and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to create the “Umami” taste.
* Serves appox 6
INGREDIENTS
- 3 teaspoons of olive oil
- 1 leek well washed, white part, finely sliced. If leeks are unavailable, one onion can be substituted
- ½ head of cauliflower broken into small pieces
- 2 cloves whole garlic
- 3 litres of water
- ½ cup of pureed chestnuts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 teaspoon fresh herbs, sage or tarragon. If these are not available, I like to use “Herbs De Provence”. Organic dried herbs
- ½ cup of pureed, peeled and cooked chestnuts. I boiled these, but they can also be roasted. (Alternatively, use almond pulp if you have just made the nut milk or ground almond meal if these are not available)
- 1/2 cup of nut milk
- 1 tablespoon of fresh Parmesan to sprinkle over
- A scatter of fresh herbs
METHOD
In a fry pan, add oil.
Once pan has heated, add leek or onion and gently toss until colour changes. Put aside.
In a pot, add enough water to cover vegetables, and when it reaches boiling point, add cauliflower pieces and garlic, and steam until just tender. Allow approx. 5 -10mins.
In food processor, add leek, cauliflower, garlic, spices, herbs, water and the chestnut puree, or almond pulp or almond meal, and blend until it is well incorporated.
Finally, add nut milk and stir through.
Sprinkle over Parmesan and scatter fresh herbs. Serve with slices of fresh bread.
Enjoy!
