Chestnut and Chickpea Soup, with mini baked potatoes and rosemary

Psst! I wouldn’t bother. Reading between the lines.

I’m bored tonight. I’m like that. Fickle. As for the Chestnut and Chickpea Soup soup. It’s good. Just not good enough. I’ll wait and buy in fresh chestnuts. Until then. This is such a simple soup that it almost feels like cheating. Almost. I’m using half a can of puréed chestnuts, that I happened to notice was heavily reduced in price when at the superstore recently buying chickpea flour and organic cocoa. No, not to use together. Presumably the cans of chestnuts were reduced (their sell-by date is 2016) as fresh chestnuts are only ever in the stores here before Christmas. Which is when I’d bought the loose chestnuts that you see within the secondary photo. Yes, I’m like that. I keep stuff for food props only. Anyway, at last I’ve managed to get over the idea of wanting to make a chestnut soup. I write that purposely as I wouldn’t bother to use this canned product again. Well, not for a soup. As a possible sub for butter within a chocolate ganache, I’m hoping. As for the soup I would far prefer this made with roasted chestnuts. Hah, where to find them. Excepting a two week window at the end of the year. Having said that, this is so easy, and tasty, that I just might do the same again – if I can buy in more cans at the same price. As otherwise I’d be loath to shell out on these cans otherwise. So, why am I even bothering to post? Well, some of you are heading fast into Autumn. And I would definitely make this again with fresh I wouldn’t bother either. Finish it, I mean. No, not the soup! Hrrmph…Gimme a hoodie and I’ll wear it backwards – that’s the mood I’m in.

Chestnut and Chickpea (Garbanzo Beans) Soup, with mini baked potatoes and rosemary

• Servings: 2
• Print

INGREDIENTS:

PREP: about 10 mins ~ COOK: about 30 mins ~ READY IN: 45 mins

ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED: cast iron (Dutch oven) saucepan with lid + tinfoil

• about 300g (10.58 oz) x baby potatoes (Maris Peer) per person, scrubbed with any knobbly bits cut out and discarded
• 1 x sprig fresh rosemary
• freshly ground sea salt
• 2 x small carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut in half
• 1 x celery stalk, washed, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces
• 1/2 x small onion, trimmed, peeled and cut in half
• 1 x dried bay leaf, split
• pinch x red pepper flakes, more to personal taste
• 500ml x cold water
• 1 x organic vegetable stock cube
• 1/2 x 415g (14.64 oz) can chestnut purée
• oil, for the chickpeas
• 1/2 – 1 x 400g or 240g drained weight (14.11 or 8.466 oz drained) can cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and well rinsed, check for any discoloured peas or any that have holes in them and discard them
• up to 2 x organic garlic cloves, trimmed, peeled and crushed
• 1 x sprig fresh rosemary
• single/light cream, to serve
• butter, for the potatoes
• seasoning, to serve

Measurements within brackets above are approximate only.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Put a cast iron saucepan lined with tinfoil and with a lid on electric heat No 4 out of 6. When potatoes are prepped add them to the pan, scatter over pieces of the rosemary, grind over some sea salt and clamp on the lid for 15 minutes.  Grab tongs or a couple of forks and carefully turn each potato over. Pan will be very hot. Reduce heat to No 3, put on the lid but keep it slightly ajar to allow steam to escape and continue to cook until the potatoes are soft to the touch when gently, and carefully, squeezed in their middles. According to the size of potatoes used this can take at least 30 minutes, longer for larger.
• In the meantime put a large saucepan on heat No 4 with the cold water, bay leaf and stock cube. Add the carrots, celery and onion , clamp on a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to No 2 and simmer until the vegetables are cooked. When cooked remove them with a fork and discard.
• Put a large heavy-based pan on heat No 3. When hot add a glug of oil and the chickpeas. Allow the chickpeas to get a little golden in colour, reduce the heat if necessary and add the crushed garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is cooked through. Take off heat and set aside.
• For the soup add the chestnut purée and whisk to combine. If necessary pour the soup through a fine wire metal sieve into a suitable container and then transfer the strained soup to the saucepan. Bring to near boiling point to make sure the chestnuts are well heated. Pour in a little cream, to personal taste, and heat through before serving.
• Serve with the baked potatoes with a little butter added to them, the chickpeas and garlic and extra rosemary if needed.

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