Winter soup recipe
I love cooking warm and hearty soups during this time of the year. It fills the whole house with an inviting smell.
This chestnut, pumpkin and farro soup is the kind of winter soup recipe that I always go back to. It’s different but easy to make. The flavours are incredible and on top of that, it’s full of tasty ingredients good for your soul!
This soup can be made vegetarian if you prefer, simply leave out the bacon and substitute the chicken stock for veggie stock.
We hope you enjoy and add this chestnut, pumpkin and farro soup to your comfort food winter list!
INGREDIENTS
For the Roasted Pumpkin
1 butternut or crown pumpkin 2-2.5kg, peeled, deseeded and cut into wedges
150ml olive oil
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
1/4 cup freshly picked thyme leaves
1 cinnamon quill
salt and pepper
Soup
2 x 240gm tins peeled and cooked chestnuts roughly chopped
roasted pumpkin
100ml olive oil
150gm farro, soaked in cold water for at least 2 hours*
1 red onion peeled and finely chopped
1 head of celery roughly chopped
150gm smoked streaky bacon finely diced
5 garlic cloves finely chopped
50gm fresh rosemary chopped
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1-litre chicken stock
salt and pepper
PREPARATION
Roasted pumpkin
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Put the pumpkin pieces in a large bowl with all the other ingredients. Mix thoroughly to coat. Transfer to an oiled baking dish and roast for approx an hour.
Soup
Drain the farro, then put it into a small pot, cover with cold water and bring to boil. Cook until the farro expands and is al dente about 20 minutes
In a large heavy-based pot, large enough to hold all soup ingredients, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add onion and celery, fry gently on medium heat to soften, then add the bacon, garlic, chopped rosemary and chilli flakes. Allow this to cook on low heat until bacon and garlic begin to colour. Then add the chestnuts. Let them absorb the bacon flavours, about 5 minutes.
Add the cooked pumpkin. Cook this for a further 5 minutes before adding the chicken stock. Finally, add the cooked farro. Heat through, check seasoning.
NOTE
*can use pearl barley instead
If you want your soup a bit more smooth, blend half of the soup and mix back in.
To make vegetarian, leave out the bacon and substitute chicken stock for veggie stock.