Recipe for Chestnut, parsnip and orange soup
Serves 4
Makes four thick servings for hungry people but can be diluted to stretch a bit further. Note: it is much easier to grip hold of a whole orange to remove the zest and then cut it in half later!
For the soup
3 small/medium parsnips, peeled
200g pack roasted, ready-to-eat chestnuts
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 litre vegetable stock
4 Tbsp juice from a freshly squeezed orange
Freshly ground black pepper
For the spiced yogurt
Four tablespoons of thick, plain yogurt
Zest of half an orange
Freshly grated nutmeg
Heat the oven to 190 C, 375 F, Gas mark 5.
Cut the parsnips into roughly even sized chunks and toss in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until golden in colour.
Using a deep pan, saute the shallots and carrot in the remaining tablespoon of oil for about 15 minutes. Use a low heat so that they soften but do not colour. Add the chestnuts and cook on low for about another five minutes.
Once the parnsip are cooked add them to the shallots, carrots and chestnut. Add the stock and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Puree the soup with your blending equipment of choice (I use one of those hand blenders that you can stick straight into the soup pan). I like the soup to have a little bit of texture left in it.
Add the orange juice, taste and then season with black pepper.
If the soup is a little too thick add more hot water or stock.
Mix the spiced yogurt ingredients together. Top each bowl of soup with a dollop of yogurt just before serving.