Nigella Chestnut Soup

Thermomix recipe: Nigella Chestnut Soup. Ready in 40 minutes. Serves 4. Step-by-step Thermomix instructions on Chef Amai.

Ingredients

• 500 g chestnuts, fresh (roasted and peeled) or canned (drained and chopped)
• 150 g onion, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves
• 30 g unsalted butter
• 1000 g vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 60 g heavy cream
• 2 tsp Nigella seeds
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. If using fresh chestnuts, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Score a small 'X' on the flat side of each chestnut. Place them on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until the shells crack and the flesh is soft. Let them cool slightly, then peel and roughly chop. If using canned chestnuts, simply drain and roughly chop them.
2. Add the quartered onion and garlic cloves to the Thermomix bowl. Chop 5 sec / Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the butter to the bowl. Sauté 5 min / 120°C / Speed 1. For chunky vegetables, use Reverse mode if preferred, but for this step, Speed 1 is sufficient to soften.
4. Add the chopped chestnuts, vegetable stock, salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg to the bowl. Place the simmering basket on top of the lid instead of the measuring cup to prevent splatter and allow for some evaporation.
5. Cook 15 min / 98°C / Speed 1. Pause halfway through (after about 7-8 minutes) to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with the spatula, ensuring even cooking and preventing sticking. Check consistency and adjust liquid if needed.
6. Carefully remove the simmering basket. Increase the speed gradually and blend 1 min / Speed 7-10 until the soup is completely smooth and creamy. You may need to hold the measuring cup in place for higher speeds.
7. Add the heavy cream and Nigella seeds to the soup. Cook 2 min / 90°C / Speed 1 (Reverse) to gently heat through and combine, preventing any sticking to the bottom of the bowl.
8. Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired, and serve immediately with crusty bread or croutons.

View this recipe on Chef Amai — convert any recipe to Thermomix format at chefamai.com.