Description
Warmth radiates from Jamie Oliver’s pumpkin chestnut soup, a comforting blend of autumn’s richest flavors. Roasted chestnuts and silky pumpkin create a luxurious harmony that wraps you in seasonal comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 large pumpkin (3 lbs / 1.36 kg)
- 8 cups (1.9 liters) chicken or vegetable broth
- 6 ounces (170 grams) vacuum-packed chestnuts
- 2 ripe pears
Secondary Ingredients:
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- ½ bunch of sage (⅓ ounce / 9 grams)
- ½ cinnamon stick
- ¾ ounce (21 grams) dried porcini mushrooms
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 rustic French baguette (7 ounces / 198 grams)
- 3½ ounces (99 grams) crumbly goat’s cheese
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the pumpkin by halving it, extracting the seeds, and removing the skin. Dice into 1.25-inch (3.18 centimeters) cubes. Sprinkle with a light pinch of sea salt and allow to rest for 30 minutes to extract excess moisture. Simultaneously, submerge dried porcini mushrooms in hot water for rehydration.
- Heat 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of olive oil in a large cooking pot over medium-high temperature. Introduce the cinnamon stick and half of the sage leaves to infuse flavor. After moisture extraction, thoroughly pat the pumpkin cubes dry and transfer to the pot. Sauté for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the pumpkin caramelizes, peel and finely chop the onion and pears. Incorporate them into the pot with an additional tablespoon (15 milliliters) of olive oil. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, allowing vegetables to soften and develop rich flavors.
- Strain the porcini mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid and carefully avoiding sediment. Pour the mushroom liquid and chicken or vegetable broth into the pot. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick midway through cooking. Allow the soup to cool completely and refrigerate overnight to enhance flavor complexity.
- Reheat the soup to serving temperature. In a separate small skillet, warm 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of olive oil and crisp the remaining sage leaves. Mince the garlic and reserved porcini mushrooms, adding them to the pan. Incorporate chestnuts and a small amount of water, cooking for 5 minutes and mashing into a spreadable consistency. Toast baguette slices, spread the chestnut mixture, and crumble goat cheese on top. Serve the soup garnished with the crispy sage leaves.
Notes
- Allow porcini mushrooms to soak overnight, unlocking deep umami essences that transform the soup’s flavor complexity.
- Generously salt pumpkin before cooking to extract excess moisture, concentrating its natural sweetness and creating a velvety texture.
- Slowly caramelize vegetables to develop rich, nuanced flavor layers that elevate the entire soup experience.
- Rest the finished soup in the refrigerator, giving ingredients time to harmonize and intensify their delicate taste profiles.
- Crisp sage leaves just before serving to create a delightful garnish that adds unexpected crunch and aromatic brilliance.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg