Chestnut, Pancetta and Cabbage Soup – Good Food, Neil Perry
August 12th, 2011. Posted by Dave
So we’re approaching the end of Winter, but depending on where you’re located on this great land of ours the cold weather is most likely going to be around for a little while longer. I thought I’d throw one last Winter soup at you, and looking out the window here at Rockpool Sydney this is just what I feel like.
Honestly, peeling fresh chestnuts at home can be painful… Firstly, using a sharp paring knife, you need to score them through the tough shell, right down through to the nut itself. Then, heat some vegetable oil on the stove to 180°C and fry the nuts for about 30 seconds – this releases the shell from the nut. Then, whilst they’re still hot, you need to separate the shell and using a knife remove any shell trapped in the nut… Good times. However, help is at hand! Australian Gourmet Chestnuts(aka Cheznuts) produce frozen peeled chestnuts, ideal for this recipe.
Chestnut, Pancetta and Cabbage Soup
Serves 4
This soup is an absolute cracker – magnificent, wonderful and amazing; the list goes on. I love eating it at home with crusty bread and a salad. It is a truly hearty winter soup, and the best thing about it is that peeled chestnuts are available vacuum-packed and frozen these days, so with very little work you can make this beauty at home. If you like, puree the whole soup and it will still be delicious, but I love the texture as it is, with bits of nuts, cabbage and pancetta in the soup.
300g cooked peeled chestnuts
185g pancetta, diced
¼ Savoy cabbage, roughly chopped into large pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, to serve
1 onion, finely chopped
Sea salt
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves removed and finely chopped
150ml full-bodied red wine
Freshly ground pepper
Bring 1.5 litres salted water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the cabbage and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain the cabbage and reserve the water, as it will be used for the stock for the soup. Briefly refresh the cabbage in cold water, dry and then slice thinly.
If you are using fresh chestnuts in season, peel them carefully and boil gently in water for about 30 minutes, or until soft. Drain.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion and pancetta with a little sea salt over medium heat until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for a further 5 minutes. Break the chestnuts into small pieces and add to the onion mixture. Add the cabbage and stir for 1 minute, then add the wine. Bring to the boil and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the reserved cabbage water and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Remove half the soup from the pan and puree before returning to the pan. Reheat the soup over a gentle heat. Check the seasoning. Divide the soup among four large bowls. Drizzle with oil, give a good grind of pepper and serve.
Download Printable Recipe (PDF)
From “Good Food” by Neil Perry, Murdoch Books
Tags: Cookbooks, Good Food, Neil Perry, Recipes, Rockpool, Soups
