With both pumpkins and chestnuts being in season around the same time, a delicious soup with both as the star ingredients makes perfect sense. Both are easy to find at this time of year and the recipe really couldn’t be any easier to follow.
Another popular use for pumpkins around November time is in the most traditional of Thanksgiving desserts: pumpkin pie and we have a recipe for that too, naturally!
By the way, be sure not to use horse chestnuts, which are quite similar in appearance but not actually related to chestnuts at all, and are mildly poisonous to humans. Water chestnuts look completely different so there’s not much chance you’ll confuse these by mistake. In addition, the nuts referred to in English as Brazil nuts (in Brazil they probably just call them nuts!) are known as castañas de Brasil (Brazil chestnuts) in Castellano Spanish, but, again, they have a very different look to them.
Chestnuts are low in fat and protein and high in vitamin C, which is very unusual for true nuts and actually more typical of a fruit. Although they lose some of that vitamin C when boiled or roasted, they still provide a healthy dose, and they are also a good source of antioxidants, even after cooking.
Pumpkins are native to North America and is typically associated with Hallowe’en, and, in the USA, with Thanksgiving, but they also are commonly grown here in Catalunya and are widely available in shops and markets in autumn every year.
Ingredients
- 250g chestnuts; cooked and peeled
- 250g pumpkin; peeled and cubed
- Stock; chicken or vegetable preferably
- 2 medium onions; chopped
- Celery; a couple of stalks, chopped
- One or two tablespoons of chopped oregano
- Salt and pepper
- Nutmeg; half a tablespoon
- Sour cream
- Chopped chives
Method
- Slit chestnuts and boil for 10-15 minutes. Once cooled, remove the outer shell & peel.
- In a large saucepan combine stock, chestnuts, pumpkin, onion, celery, and chopped herbs.
- Bring to boil, then reduce and simmer over moderate heat until pumpkin and chestnuts are tender.
- Blend until smooth, and season with salt, freshly cracked pepper & nutmeg.
- Add a dollop of cream into the bowl when serving and top with chives for a dash of colour.
